Story Of a Girl
by sallythedestroyerofworlds23
Summary: One Halloween night, they share an encounter in the most unlikely of places. When fate brings them together again, however, he wants nothing to do with her. He'll soon find that keeping a certain raven-haired woman from winding her way into his heart is a lot harder than it looks. And she will realize that behind his brazen attitude, he hides more than just a caring soul.
1. Hiding in a Closet

**Story Of a Girl**

**Summary: Pending. Full summary will be shown next chapter in order not to spoil a few surprises yet ;) Give it a chance please :)**

**Dissclaimer: *checks in mirror* No, I am in fact not Tite Kubo. Therefore, I do not own Bleach or any of it's awesome characters...But I will ise them all for the purpose of this story and to make my IchiRuki fantasies come true.**

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Rukia's scowl deepened on her face as yet another person pushed past her and knocked her into someone else, earning her a glare which she most definitely did not deserve. The smell of perspiration, alcohol and assorted illegal substances filled the air around her and made her scrunch up her nose.

_Fun._

She resisted the urge to voice her sarcastic thoughts. Still, what else could she do? To say she was having a bad time was an understatement. And the worst part was that she didn't want to come in the first place.

"Watch it, kid!"

Her blood boiled as a tall masked man told her in irritation after bumping into _her_. Rukia wanted badly to inflict some damage, but resisted the urge for fear that she would cause too much of a scene that would land her a night at the police station.

The glare of colorful pulsating lights made Rukia reach a hand up to attempt to shield her eyes, and in the process accidentally bump someone's arm in the tightly packed space, causing them to spill half of their beverage onto her.

"What the hell?" the person shouted angrily, like Rukia had intentionally bumped her arm and made her spill her drink on _herself._

She turned and took a deep breath to make sure she kept her temper in check. She'd take it out on Renji later.

_Now if only she could find him…_

That stupid baboon had, after weeks of begging and pleading, dragged her to this damned Halloween party, which she _never_ wanted to go to in the first place.

_-flashback-_

"_No."_

"_Oh, come on Rukia!" the redheaded man with a face full of tribal tattoos whined, contrasting with his supposed 'badass' look._

_Rukia met him with folded arms and an even stare. "I already told you, Renji. My answer is 'no'."_

"_Gah!" he threw his hands up in exasperation, and Rukia could begin to feel the odd stares they where receiving from the tables around them in the small restaurant where they were having lunch. "Just tell me this, _why_ not?"_

"_You already know why," she started easily. "I'm busy. I have to finish fixing my resume this weekend to send it to the newspaper companies by the end of the weekend. I don't have time to go out to some party."_

"_You _never_ have time to do anything fun." Renji complained, and Rukia rolled her eyes, thinking that if it wasn't for his freakish height, the tattoos and the bulkiness, he wasn't any different than he was fifteen years ago when they'd first met. "In college it was always study, study, study. Now it's always work, work, work. When is it going to be 'Rukia' time?"_

"_When I'm living happily in a retirement home." she stated._

_Renji groaned. "Okay fine, fine. This isn't going anywhere." her remark on his intelligence for having reached that conclusion so quickly was lost as he went on. "How about I make you a deal?"_

_She raised a skeptic eyebrow. "I'm listening."_

"_If you go to Rangiku's party with me, I'll get you that rabbit toy you've been eyeing."_

_Rukia couldn't stop the childish widening of her eyes and the twinkle in them. She didn't even scold him for calling the limited edition collectible figurine a 'toy'. _

"_The ballerina edition?" she asked suspiciously._

_Renji tried to hide the successful glint in his eyes. "That's the one."_

_He knew he had her, even before he asked._

"_So what do you say?"_

-_end flashback-_

So here she was. Some might call her weak for giving into a bribe; Rukia preferred to think of it as being flexible. And if anyone had seen the gorgeous ballerina Chappy figurine…Well, there was just no choice.

But Renji! After getting to the blasted party, he had the _nerve_ to just disappear! The last time Rukia saw him he had his hand resting dangerously low on some buxom blonde in a witch costume and he threw her a drunken witch and thumbs up from over his shoulder.

_Ass hole._

She'd show him. After she was through with him, she'd like to see him even be able to walk long enough to get laid. _He better come through with that Chappy._

For now, however, her biggest concern should be trying to find a way to get out from the throbbing crowd of dressed up people drunkenly dancing and jumping to the beat of the music, their wings and masks and antennas all securely stating the Halloween theme.

Rukia hated Halloween. She hated Halloween and she hated parties. So Halloween parties where like a true nightmare to her. She had to get out; Renji could drive himself home.

Determined to at least find some personal space, she tried using her size to her advantage and began weaving through people and under arms and around intertwined couples in search for some exit. However, the packed room full of people way taller than her made it pretty impossible to see over anyone to spot an 'Exit' sign. She kept moving anyway, anything was better than staying put. She pulled uncomfortably at the collar of her black high neck sweater, trying -in vain- to get some ventilation in.

"Sorry- Excuse me-" she muttered as she tried to push past the crowd.

Just as she thought she could make out an empty bit of space, two large people dressed in elaborated dinosaur suits came up on either side of her and basically sandwiched her in between.

"_Ack!"_ she gasped for air as she literally squeezed herself out, stumbled through another small group of people, and finally emerged on a tiny square of space just before a closed door.

Without even thinking about it, she reached for the handle and yanked it open, slipped inside and shut the door again. She leaned against the closed door and let out a sigh of relief.

Her victory was short lived, however, when someone spoke up.

"Oi, get your own closet!"

She looked down in surprise to see the slouched figure of a man, sitting with his back against the wall opposite to her, with one hand resting on a propped up knee.

"Sorry, I didn't know this was occupied-" she mumbled, starting to turn and open the door to leave. She didn't look outside for more than a split second before forcefully closing the door again and turning back to the guy on the floor.

"What's the deal-"

"Can I stay here a minute?" she blurted out, desperate at this point to be away for at least a moment from the wild crowd.

The guy looked up at her from under a frame of orange bangs. "Look, if you want to get wasted or stoned in private, do it somewhere else. I'd like to be left in peace for a moment, okay?"

Rukia stared at him and blinked. "I don't want to get stoned or anything like that!" she exclaimed, feeling utterly insulted that he insinuated such a thing. "I just want to escape the party for a few minutes, just like you." she said, having inferred the last part.

He seemed to consider her for a moment, his brown eyes unusually penetrating in the dim light of the bulb hanging above them. Rukia had to stop herself from fidgeting awkwardly under his gaze.

Finally, he shrugged. "Go ahead, then."

Rukia nodded and immediately flopped down on the floor, right on the spot. The muted sounds of upbeat music and the voices of people reached them vaguely from the other side of the door.

She leaned back against the door and removed her white hockey mask from her face, feeling unspeakable bliss the moment the air hit her face directly. She exhaled loudly and used her hand to fan herself, after having tossed aside the large plastic machete she'd been holding.

She hadn't noticed the orange-haired man looking at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Hockey mask killer?" he piped up. "Original."

The sarcasm in his voice was not lost to her. She shot him a glare. "And what are _you_ supposed to be?" she narrowed her eyes at the man who was clad in average clothing and had a plain black mask that surrounded the area around his eyes and ended on the bridge of his nose.

"I'm a mysterious stranger." he answered evenly.

Rukia snorted a laugh. "More like too-lazy-to-get-an-actual-costume."

"Guilty." he said, allowing for the first time his lips to go upwards in a smirk.

With the black mask and spiky orange hair, when he smiled, Rukia couldn't help but feel her breath catch a little. She hadn't noticed until now how handsome he was.

"So, Mysterious Stranger," she started, using the cheap title like a name and pointedly ignoring her realization. "What does the orange hair entail?"

A hand went automatically up to touch his orange spikes self consciously. "Oh this? This is natural."

At this, Rukia had to lift a thin black eyebrow. "You can't expect me to believe that." Even as she said it, she somehow knew he wasn't lying.

"Believe what you want." he said with an uncaring shrug.

Rukia found herself beginning to be intrigued by the man and his nonchalant attitude. Not to mention his eyes, which she now noticed where closer to amber than brown, something about them pulled her in and made her glad she'd somehow ended up in that small closet.

She was just about to start thinking of something to say after a few minutes of silence, when he beat her to it.

"So how'd you end up in here?"

"I'm hiding from the party." she answered with a shrug of her own, as she gathered her legs to wrap her arms around them and rest her chin on her knees -settling in for a long wait-.

"I'd figured that out on my own." he said. "I meant, how'd you end up in the party in the first place?"

Understanding, Rukia said, "I got dragged here by a so-called friend." she suppressed a sneer of anger as she remembered Renji. Bastard. He would so get it for making her end up hiding in a closet…Though, admittedly, the company wasn't half bad.

The masked man nodded in apparent understanding. "Same." he said, referring to himself. "I can relate."

Rukia smiled despite herself, glad, perhaps, that she wasn't the only one being dragged by peer pressure despite being a grown twenty-two-year-old.

"Great. Misery loves company." she said aloud, earning a grin from the guy. She returned it, surprised at how easy it was to talk to this complete stranger. Which was very surprising considering Rukia wasn't the most social person…And that was an understatement.

They went on talking after that. Like they were lifelong buddies or something. Rukia found it really easy to talk about nothing and everything with him. Despite his constant sarcastic remarks (usually matched by her own) and rude comments, she felt like she could relate to him on a certain level.

Of course, that was to be expected considering they were the only two people hiding in a closet in the middle of what was supposed to be the biggest Halloween party in town.

"Does it sound quieter to you outside?"

"Hm?" Rukia snapped her eyes away from his masked face and towards the closed door. Somehow, at some point in the night as they talked, she'd ended up sitting beside him against the wall, close enough for their arms to brush. Too close for comfort, Rukia might have thought in any other case, but right then she felt no urge to make any distance between them.

"I think the music's lowering…" His face was turned to the door now, focused as if trying to see beyond the faded wood to the outside. Rukia focused for a moment too, and without looking back at him asked,

"Do you think the party is over?" she wondered at how time had flown by while talking to the strange man in the closet.

"…Maybe…" he said uncertainly beside her. "I think we should wait it out a little longer just to be sure."

Rukia thought the statement made little sense. Even if the party wasn't over, by then it should have been emptied just enough to allow them easy access to an exit. Still, it wasn't like she was in any hurry to get away from the guy, who she probably would never see again in her life.

The sudden thought bummed her out a little. Despite having only known him for, what? A couple of hours? She'd found it so natural to be around this guy, easy as breathing. It was very rare for her to feel like that around anyone. Renji, maybe.

_No._ She immediately corrected. Being with this guy was nothing like being with Renji. It was different…She didn't know exactly how, she just knew it was.

"Okay." she said finally, agreeing to his suggestion.

They talked a little bit more, before it finally became evident that no music was coming from outside.

"I think we should probably leave before someone finds us in here and thinks we were smoking or something." Rukia said, noticing this.

The man snapped his eyes to hers, then back to the door, then back to her. "Yeah, I think you're right." he said, though he didn't make any move to stand up. Instead, he kept his fiery amber gaze locked on hers, making it impossible for her to move even if she'd wanted to.

They stayed like that for what felt like minutes, sitting beside each other with their arms brushing and their eyes locked together. His amber gazing into her violet. Rukia felt her heartbeat quicken and felt as though she could hear it pounding in her ears. Her body ached all of a sudden to inch closer to him, and she had to control herself before she did something she would regret.

"…I better go. My friend will be looking for me by now…" Rukia said, breaking the contact reluctantly and looking away from him, knowing that otherwise she wouldn't be responsible for her actions.

"…Right." his voice came out a little choke, as though he hadn't completely recovered from their previous staring contest.

Rukia heard him get up and didn't notice until his hand was almost under her nose that he was reaching down to help her up. She normally didn't approve of chivalry like that, being used to rougher interactions with all her male friends (Renji). And she certainly didn't expect it from this orange-haired masked man who had made a point to show his rudeness and sarcasm the moment he opened his mouth.

However, Rukia accepted his hand and let him pull her up.

It had been a mistake to do so -at least, from one point of view-.

The moment she felt her skin come into contact with his it was like a jolt of electricity had been released from his touch and shot up her arm. Instead of pulling back though, she kept her small hand in his large tan one, even as he closed it around hers, enveloping it in a warmth that traveled through her body.

Once she was standing beside him, he didn't let their hands drop; he kept holding her hand in his up to her chest level, and his head was tilted slightly to look at her.

Rukia could feel her limbs jellify as she looked at his undeniably handsome face. His strong jaw line, his orange spikes -which she realized truly suited him-, the tan smooth skin, shadowed slightly from the angle at which he stood under the bulb hanging between them…And his eyes.

If she had thought his eyes could be breathtaking before, she had no words to describe them now. The amber orbs had gained a soft, yet intense look as he looked into her eyes and held her gaze; never once did Rukia forget to feel their held hands either. She didn't quite remember if she was breathing; it didn't matter.

Later on, she would wonder how a couple of hours of meaningless, though pleasant, talk would lead to that. She was never the sort of person to just _do_ that after having just met a person; not even on the numbered times when she'd gone out and drank. But one of that mattered then. Because Rukia hadn't been listening to reason; she had just done what felt _right_.

And kissing that masked man felt too _right_ for words.

It happened in the blink of an eye; he'd leaned down, she'd inched forward. She tilted her head in anticipation; and then his mouth was on hers.

Rukia's free hand slithered around the orange-haired man's neck and she used it to pull herself upwards and more comfortably kiss him at the same time as she pressed their bodies together. She felt his free hand come around her waist -not any lower- and steady her against him as he continued to push against her.

The kiss was gentle and slow, but the intensity of it…

The man moved his lips slowly and sensually in perfect sync with hers, like they'd bee kissing for years instead of having just met. When his lips tentatively started to part and probe hers to open as well, she complied immediately. Rukia allowed him entrance into her mouth, and felt bliss as he slid his tongue and met hers with a caress at first. She'd met him head on and soon he wasn't holding back; they were moving their mouths and tongues in what could have been a dance; a dance that sent pure heated flames through every inch of Rukia's body.

Without either of them noticing, both of Rukia's arms where around his neck and both of his hands had settled on her waist, tightening their grip on her as he pulled her closer, never breaking the kiss for more than a split second of necessary oxygen.

It was the greatest feeling Rukia had ever experienced.

When they finally pulled back, both gasping for air, she looked into his eyes, staying up on the tips of her toes to stay closer to his face. She slid one of her arms from around his neck and reached to touch the side of his face with the tips of her fingers.

He continued to gaze at her with those smoldering eyes that seemed to eat her alive as she carefully went up to his mask, and gingerly started to lift it away from his face; a moment later taking it off and keeping it in her hand as she gazed into his bare face for the first time.

He was beautiful.

Rukia wanted nothing more than to close the small gap left between them, and meet his already open mouth with her eager lips. But the rational side inside her finally decided to speak up (much to her dismay) and reminded him where this was rapidly going if she didn't stop right then.

With almost physical effort, she disengaged herself from him, using her hands to gently push away his hands from her hips. A confused expression settled on his face, making him look almost like a young boy who had a toy taken away.

She almost reached back up to crush him to her.

But she stopped herself in time.

"I have to leave." she said, expecting him to protest.

Instead, he nodded. Beyond her disappointment, she was relieved. "I understand. Will you tell me your name?"

Rukia met his amber orbs and shook her head sadly. "I think it would be better if I didn't."

A grin broke out into his face, though there was disappointment in his eyes. "I guess you're right."

They stared at each other for another long moment, unmoving.

To break the silence and do something before they ended up lip-wrestling again, Rukia reached up to give him his mask back. "Here, this is yo-"

"Keep it." he stopped her, gently pushing her hand back and closing her fingers around the black material.

"But-" she started to protest, but was cut off by his smile.

"I don't need it." With a final smile, he slid his hands off of hers and turned around, reaching for the doorknob.

"I'll see you around." Rukia instantly scolded herself for the slight hopeful and eager note in her voice. She didn't even know why she said that; it wasn't like she would ever see that orange-headed man again…Right?

The man looked at her over his shoulder, already half out of the closet. "Maybe."

And then he was gone, leaving Rukia alone in a closet with a black mask.

Almost subconsciously, she looked down at the mask in her hand and ran her fingers over the black material as she muttered to herself.

"Yeah, maybe…"

* * *

**A/N: I know...ANOTHER story. My third (or fourth) one actually...Why another new story? Simple. I have many ideas that I don't want to go to waste, and since my other story have barely had any repsonse at all, I'll keep starting other works in order to see which one gets a lot of response. That's the one I'll focus my attention on from then on (though I'm not dropping my other stories for now, they'll just be...only occasionally updated) . So, let me know if this is the one you want ;)**

**About the IchiRuki interactions this chapter, I know they seemed too fast and easy, but fear not! That was just the beginning, I'll make the road to love pretty uphill for them from the next chapter up. I hope you enjoyed that kiss because there won't be another for a while...Oops! *has said too much***

**Anyway, just know that you'll get to see the love/hate old-married-couple bickering that we all know and love in the upcoming chapters. The actual serious romance will happen gradually and...*shuts up* Okay I'll stop spoiling now.**

**Facts you should know: Rukia is 22 years old (fresh out of college) and looking for a job as a journalist. Ichigo is...A mysterious stranger for now ;)**

**So, tell me your thoughts, like? love? indifference? dislike? hate? burn it? xD Your reviews will decide. ^.^**


	2. The Interview

Rukia gave an exasperated groan as she looked at the name shining up at her from her cell phone. Without breaking her stride, she flipped the device open and put it to her ear. She didn't even get a word out before the person on the other end spoke up.

"_Are you ready? Feeling nervous yet?"_

"Shove it, Renji."

"_I'll take that as a 'yes'."_

Rukia rolled her eyes before looking to both sides and crossing the busy street towards the large building straight ahead.

'_Seretei Daily'_ read the large platinum letters set at the front of the building; it might have been her imagination, but it seemed to her that the building was looking down at her with a vicious sneer and she could almost hear the laughter and fingers pointed mockingly at her.

They laughed at her for thinking she even had a chance at a job on Seretei. She, a fresh out of college, inexperienced young writer with barely a dime to her name…

_Shut up._ She told the building in her mind; _I graduated from one of the most prestigious universities in Karakura, _with_ honors. I'm responsible and a great columnist. I have as good a shot as anyone for a job at Seretei…_

Yeah, and maybe her older Brother was actually a happy-go-lucky dancer named Ricardo by night.

"If you have nothing better to do with your time other than harass me-" she started speaking into the phone, pushing her edgy thoughts away and determined to take them out on Renji with the slightest incentive.

"_I should get a hobby, I know." _Renji finished before she could in a monotone voice.

"Actually I was going to suggest you get a job."

"_I _have_ a job!" _she heard him say in an indignant tone. _"It just so happens that Mondays are slow days here at the corporation."_

"Oh?" Rukia raised a skeptic eyebrow even though she knew he couldn't see. What kind of corporation isn't busy on a Monday?

One where Renji works at. That's where.

"How is it a baboon like you even got a job before me?" she wondered aloud for her friend's benefit.

"_Stunning good looks and brains."_

She laughed at that, the sound breaking through the stress-filled atmosphere surrounding all the people buzzing around her.

"_You'll do fine in your interview. Trust me, if I could get a job, a star pupil like you is set."_ Renji said once her laughter died down, and she could hear the support laced in his voice and words. He might not be the type to say it straight out, but Renji was a good, caring friend when he wanted to be.

"…Yeah," she sighed, walking up to the revolving door that led into the building, having already stalled for a good few minutes outside.

"_You just have to stop being so goddamn tense."_ Renji added with a laugh at her expense.

Her eyebrows pulled down together and she wished Renji was with her so she could at least glare at him.

"Shut up." she settled for saying instead.

She got a laugh in response, but before anything else could be heard, she heard a voice barking something in a non-too-happy manner on the other line.

"_Yeah…I know, I'll be right- It was important, just give me a- Okay, okay!" _she heard Renji shouting slightly mutedly, meaning he was holding the phone away from his face. When he spoke again, his voice was back to normal volume. _"I gotta go, Rukia. Duty calls. Good luck with your interview." _

Then she heard the 'click' that meant he'd hung up. She flipped her phone shut and shoved it into her pocket before looking up at the revolving doors. She took a resigned breath and stepped forth…

Okay, so maybe Renji had been a little right…Not that she'd ever let him know that.

She _did_ tend to get a little over-nervous and stressed. But, hey! It was for a very justifiable reason this time! She was now only minutes away from not just a job interview, but _the_ interview.

Ever since going to college and majoring in journalism, Rukia's sole goal had been to get a spot on Karakura's most prestigious newspaper: the Seretei Daily. She'd worked hard for it, she deserved it; at least that was what she had been telling herself for the better part of the weekend.

_And Byakuya will disown me of I don't land the job…_ She added one, perhaps the most prominent, reason for why she was so nervous about not getting the job.

'_Relax'_, she told herself, deciding that for once taking Renji's advice might not be such a bad idea.

It was, after all, thanks to Renji that Rukia had gone to that Halloween party on Saturday night.

Whereas, normally, Rukia would have spent that night like any other Saturday night; home alone in her bunny slippers and her laptop open as she re-checked for the thousandth time the writing samples that she would be using for her following job interviews, instead, she had followed Renji's advice graciously (aka, accepted his bribe…) and decided to loosen up a bit for once.

The result had been…Unexpected.

Rukia had to shake her head to clear the thoughts of orange hair, blazing amber eyes and hot kisses starting to clutter her mind.

_No._ She wouldn't think of that now. While yes, Rukia couldn't help but admit that spending those hours hidden in a closet with the masked orange-haired man resulted in what was probably one of the greatest and most memorable experiences in her life…She was resolved to forget all about it.

She didn't regret it, but that didn't mean she thought it would be beneficial to continuously think of one kiss with a complete stranger whose name she didn't even know and whom she would never see again.

_Just because kissing him felt like my whole body had turned to fire and my skin prickled with excitement and wanting to _be_ with him…It was just a one-time thing, Rukia. Forget about it._

It wouldn't be long though, before Rukia found out just how wrong she was.

Having composed herself enough to look professional and secure, Rukia had asked the receptionist about her interview and the blonde woman had barely looked at her before directing her to go to the fifth floor and wait for a 'Mr. Ukitake' to receive her.

Now Rukia found herself clenching her hands to stop herself from fiddling with the edge of her pencil skirt or the collar of her white button-up shirt as the anxious knots began to twist in her stomach where she sat in a single chair just outside a closed door where her interview would take place.

_Relax; breathe._ She instructed herself. Renji could do this…If that idiot was able to do it, then she sure as hell would _not_ allow herself to be surpassed by him. She would get through the interview splendidly and her brother would be so proud of her he might actually hug her.

Okay, so that was a long-shot.

"Miss Kuchiki?"

Her neck nearly snapped as she twisted her head to look at the speaker. "Y-yes!" she mentally cursed herself for stuttering. Now was not the time for that.

The man who had stepped out of the office looked at her and his lips curved easily into a smile that seemed a natural expression on his face. He had long hair that was pure white and pulled back in a low ponytail; despite his hair color, his face was unlined and he didn't seem to be much older than his late thirties. He had gentle chocolate brown eyes that appraised her silently.

"Well, Miss Kuchiki, I'm Mr. Ukitake." he said in a kind voice as he extended his hand to her to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Rukia immediately felt all the stress-knots loosen in her stomach and she was able to stand and shake the man's hand with a calm smile. "Likewise."

"Come in, then." Mr. Ukitake said as he started to go back to his office. Rukia followed and watched as he closed the door behind them, then went around a large wooden desk cluttered with loose newspaper articles, manila folders and dozens of pens. He sat on a comfortable-looking high-backed chair and motioned for her to sit on one of the less luxurious seats across from him.

"I trust you've had a good morning?" Mr. Ukitake asked pleasantly once she'd sat down.

"Yes, thank you." Rukia said, feeling a bit more at ease in the man's presence, but beginning to feel the eagerness for the interview to start.

"Good, good." said Mr. Ukitake. He started rummaging through some of the cluttered files screwed around his desk, laughing good-naturedly as he complained that his two assistants, by the names of Kiyone and Sentaro, where to busy arguing with each other to be of much help in the office.

Rukia smiled and waited patiently for the man to arrive at the desired folder.

"Ah, here we are." Mr. Ukitake said, taking out the neatly placed contents of one of the folders. "Rukia Kuchiki; graduated from Gotei University,…"

And so, it began.

-x-

Almost forty-five minutes later, Mr. Ukitake and Rukia sat in the same spots, at the end of the famed interview.

"You're a brilliant writer, Kuchiki. I know Seretei would benefit a lot from having you as a columnist."

Rukia smiled at the complement. "Does that mean I get the job?"

Mr. Ukitake's smile faltered slightly. Rukia felt her heart drop just a little. The white-haired man folded his hands before him on the desk before speaking in a regretful tone. "I'm afraid that a job isn't possible right now for you." he started, making her heart sink lower. "Right now, things are getting rough at Seretei. A lot of good reporters and writers are getting fired, things will be difficult from now on. Only the best can remain onboard."

Rukia bit her lip to stop herself from saying she _was_ the best. She could handle it; she'd spent the last years of her life working for it. For now, she knew, it was best to stay silent as Mr. Ukitake finished.

"As I said, you are a terrific writer. But as things stand at the moment, your lack of experience makes it impossible for me to give you a job here right away. However,"

She felt the tiniest spark of hope.

"I can offer you an internship. It isn't a steady job, and it doesn't pay. But if you play your cards right, and you can demonstrate that you deserve it, you could be looking at a real job at Seretei by next month."

Rukia stared. An internship…It wasn't a job. It had no pay…But it was still better than nothing.

"That would be great!" she declared, eyes wide as she clung to that hope he had just handed her.

Mr. Ukitake chuckled at her sudden enthusiasm. "That's the spirit!" then he looked at her more seriously, but traces of a smile never left his face. "You'll have to work hard though, Kuchiki. Twice as hard as you would normally have to, and with none of the pay. There is no guarantee that you'll get the job, or a definite time when you can get it. But I have confidence in you. If you are as great as you seem to be in your samples, I have no doubt that you'll get the job."

Rukia couldn't help but beam at that. "Thank you, sir. I'll won't let you down."

"I'm sure." he smiled warmly.

"When do I start?" Rukia asked now, already eager to get home and celebrate with a bowl of ice cream and a marathon of her favorite movies.

"As soon as possible. Is tomorrow good for you?"

"Tomorrow is perfect." she nodded.

"Wonderful. Be here tomorrow at eight thirty sharp."

"I'll be here." Rukia started to get up, but Ukitake paused her.

"One more thing, Kuchiki." she sat again and waited for him to go on. "Since you will be an intern, you will work under the supervision of one of the workers here."

"Oh?" Rukia looked at him, unsure. She had expected to be supervised, yes, but she'd figured she'd report directly to Mr. Ukitake. But that would have been too much to ask for as an intern, she guessed. Too bad, she'd really started to like him too.

"He is one of our best reporters, and a tremendous writer." Ukitake said, just as he put his finger on a button of the telephone machine sitting atop his desk among the general mess. "Though he does have a bit of a temper. Nothing you can't handle though, I'm sure!" he finished in a bright note. However, his easy manner seemed more suspicious to Rukia now.

A temper, huh? Well, of course she could handle it. There hadn't been a man born yet that Rukia Kuchiki couldn't handle. The only reason she was bummed was that she was sure to be starting pretty low if she was being put under the supervision of a guy who, most likely, no one wanted to work with.

"Call Kurosaki up here, Kiyone." Mr. Ukitake spoke into the speaker of the black telephone.

"_Right away, Mr. Ukitake!"_ an eager voice said on the other end.

"Before you go, I'd like you to meet him." Mr. Ukitake explained as he leaned back comfortably in his chair.

Rukia nodded as she steeled herself for whatever came in through that door.

The minutes passed with almost torturing slowness, each tick of the clock promising something ominous. Not even Mr. Ukitake's somewhat soothing presence could ease her now, for some reason.

And then the door opened…

Revealing a tall, slightly tanned, scowling, _orange_-haired man.

…

"Miss Kuchiki, I'd like you to meet Ichigo Kurosaki."

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Rukia thanked whatever god there was for the fact that there were no flies in that office…Because at least a dozen of them would have easily fit into her wide open mouth. The moment the man had stepped through the door, her jaw had dropped to the floor and her eyes had nearly flown out of her sockets. Her mind went blank before-

"_You!"_ before she even knew what she was doing, Rukia leapt out of the seat and pointed at the orange-haired man accusingly.

Said man's amber eyes widened briefly and something flashed through them, too fast for her to recognize. Then it was all gone and his face was a mask of indifference. Something unlike what Rukia remembered seeing that night, from which every detail was forever burned in her memory. For a moment, she wondered if she'd confused the man from the party for some other bright-haired guy…but dismissed the improbable option quickly. Different as he may look with his professional clothes and deep-etched scowl, Rukia knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was indeed the same man she had kissed only two nights before.

"You two know each other?" Mr. Ukitake asked, glancing back and forth confusedly between Rukia and the orange-haired man.

Rukia opened her mouth to answer, but the word that came out immediately was not hers.

"No."

Simple, flat. She gaped in open disbelief at the orange-haired man.

His eyes weren't even on her as he looked away with a mildly bored expression and his hands in his pockets.

"I've never seen her before." he added then, for good measure.

Rukia felt her body freeze on the spot. Whether it was purely from shock or anger she didn't quite know.

She didn't know what she would have said; she wasn't quite sure that she could speak at all in that moment. Fortunately, Mr. Ukitake saved her by speaking up first.

"You will work under Ichigo's supervision from now on." he said to her, and she turned to face him again. "He'll guide you through the process of getting acquainted with the workings of the newspaper, and possibly help you polish your skills along the way. Not that your skills aren't good as it is." he added the last part possibly seeing the expression on Rukia's face.

"Wait a minute!" a voice spoke up loudly, without an ounce of respect in it.

Rukia whirled her head around to look up disbelievingly at the orange-haired man. How dare he raise his voice like that at a superior?

She would be even more surprised by his next words.

"No one said anything about working with some _kid_ who doesn't know the first thing about writing!"

Rukia's blood ran cold at the word 'kid'. If that wasn't bad enough, the words that followed…

"Kuchiki is our new intern, Ichigo." Mr. Ukitake spoke calmly, not the least bit ruffled by the younger man's outburst. "She may lack the experience, but she has a great amount of potential to be just as good as you." he said, and the man's -_Ichigo'_s- frown deepened at this.

"She might even surpass you, given time." Mr. Ukitake added, giving Rukia a playful wink.

Rukia stared and felt grateful to the man suddenly. He had unknowingly prevented a very unprofessional outburst that would have jeopardized her internship without having even started it. There was also the added bonus of his last remark having made Ichigo scowl even harder.

Rukia couldn't fight the urge and, still turned towards Mr. Ukitake, looked over her shoulder to give Ichigo a smug smirk.

Ichigo narrowed his amber eyes at her before looking up at his boss again. She could tell he was about to protest some more, but so could Mr. Ukitake.

"That is all. You are both dismissed." said the ever-calm white-haired man. "I'll see you tomorrow, Kuchiki." he added with a smile. Rukia returned it and reached to shake the man's hand and, after another formal 'thank you', she turned to leave.

She forced her gaze to remain on the door that led outside as she brushed past the orange-haired man. She felt his narrowed eyes boring holes into her back the whole time, but managed to remain unruffled and walked out in a dignified manner.

Once outside, she hadn't even finished shutting the door behind her when she heard the orange-haired man's loud voice snap.

"_What's the big idea Ukitake?" _

She closed the door completely, but the voices still carried through the wood. She suspected very few walls could keep that man's voice muted.

Taking a quick glance across the room to make sure no one was watching her, Rukia pressed her ear against the wooden door and strained to listen to the voices.

"_Hm? What do you mean?"_ Ukitake's soft voice said.

"_You know what I mean! What kind of punishment is this?"_ That was unmistakably Ichigo.

"_It isn't a punishment, Ichigo. It's a…Opportunity."_

"_How _exactly _is this 'opportunity' not a punishment?"_

"_Well, for one thing, it's an opportunity for you to keep your job."_ There was soft laughter from one of the voices. The other, rougher one, remained silent. _"After last month's incident, many consider you lucky for still being here."_

"_I get that…But how does that equate to me having to babysit the newbie?"_

"_This is a chance for you to learn to tolerate and help others instead of trampling over everyone you meet. Yamamoto was gracious enough to allow you to keep your job; mostly because you are an undeniable asset to the Seretei. But he believes, and I agree, that you must learn to work well with others. Supervising an intern seems like the perfect opportunity for you to do just that."_

"_This is a load of crap. You're just dumping her on me because no one else wants the job! This is your excuse to punish me!" _

"_Think of it as you like, Ichigo. Whether you like it or not, Kuchiki is now your responsibility. As such, any mistakes she makes will be reflected on you. Therefore, I would advise that you help her do well."_

"_This isn't fair."_

"_I'm sorry you feel that way. Keep in mind what I said though. Try to use this as a chance. Who knows! Perhaps you'll even make a new friend!"_

"_Unlikely."_

"_Just remember, Ichigo. This is the last chance Yamamoto is giving you. Don't waste it."_

After a few seconds of silence, Rukia realized just in time to jump back from her place before the fuming orange-haired man yanked the door open and stepped out.

The moment he did, his amber eyes met hers. She looked up at him, feeling a mixture of emotions that where too many to name, but amongst which anger, confusion and, admittedly, disappointment stood out.

In his face, she saw deeply edged lines marking his scowl; he glared at her for a moment like she was the cause of all his problems, and then just as quickly he brushed past her, bumping her shoulder in the process, and left without looking back once.

Rukia stood stupefied.

For a brief instance, she couldn't help but let her mind remember clearly the soft, yet smoldering amber gaze that had held her only two nights ago; then the image was shattered by the angry glare of the scowling man she'd met today.

What had…_happened?_

_

* * *

_

**A/N: Well, I know this chapter was a bit on the boring side...or a lot. Sorry about that. Its just that, well, its necessary. And yeah, the IchiRuki took a 180 degree turn here...I told you I'd make it hard for them XD Ichigo was pretty horrible here, but don't worry. His attitude and response will be explained in the near future, and there will be more actual IchiRuki in coming chapters.**

**On a brighter note, HOLLY SNOT! ZOMG! I got a freakin LOT of reviews last chapters! Thank you guys so so much you've made me so happy!**

**_DanceOfTheWhiteMoon_, _ali6220_, _M.O.N.S.T.E..POCKY., Nivek01_, _Aizawa Ayumu_, _Rukes_, _E'Clair Soldier_, _shinzlefritz_, _Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky_, _-AnGeLiCaNiMeKiTtY_-, _Prizz_, _Lunar_, _novicestar_, _Crazy Otaku Fangirl_ and _MeoNg_ **

** Thank you guys sooo much! I just...Wow. I did not expect all the love :D I hope I don't disappoint anyone, (please don't take this chapter as indicative of the rest of the story, it gets better I promise *sheepish smile*) **

**So, I guess it should be obvious but, according to amount of reviews, this will be the story I'll be focusing on from now on ^.^ Thanks again to everyone :) **


	3. Truce

_I am an emotionless block of ice. I do not care about you or what you think. I will demonstrate my capacities and Seretei will be begging me to take the job._

Rukia opened her eyes after repeating that sentence for what was probably the tenth time that morning. She took a steady breath, not feeling nervous _at all_.

Why would she be nervous? She had no reason to be nervous; non whatsoever.

At least that's what she kept reminding herself.

She took a look at her wristwatch and saw it was already _8:27am._ There was no more time for stalling, so she stepped into the revolving doors of Seretei and took up a confident stride into the building in what she hoped would be the first of many, many more times.

Today was her first day working at the Seretei Daily.

Okay, so that was speaking on loose terms. She didn't have a job, technically speaking; she had an internship. Which was like a pre-job, really. If you looked at it a certain way, it was like an introduction to work; the beginning of a long journey that would end in retirement. So really, not much difference from there to an actual job…

Which is the excuse she told herself when Byakuya had called last night, asking about her interview, and she'd informed him that she would be starting work the next day.

It wasn't a lie. It was completely true: she _would _be working from today on. She merely chose not to tell Byakuya that her work didn't include pay, or a guarantee for any given time, or a dental plan…

He didn't ask.

And so, Rukia excused herself for the slightly tweaked information she gave her brother. Yet, the anxious feeling in her gut remained.

Was it fear that Byakuya would discover the truth and be disappointed in her forever? Or was it a lack of confidence in herself and her ability to obtain the job? Perhaps it was merely the butterflies one felt whenever starting school or work; combined with the knowledge that she would be pushed hard to prove herself.

Yes, all of these made sense as an explanation to the awful nerves. But deep down, try to deny it as she might, she knew the main reason for her anxiousness. And that reason had a name.

Ichigo Kurosaki.

That was the name of the man she had met only three nights ago, hiding in a closet, and she had thought that would remain one of the best nights in her life in her memory. However, after chancing upon him again, at the Seretei of all places! The way he'd acted…Pretending not to know her first, then glaring at her and looking like he wouldn't mind if a piano landed on her head…

Plus the knowledge that she would have to work with him -under him- for the following who-knows-how-many-months…

Okay, so the reason for her nervousness wasn't as big of a mystery as she liked to make it out to be.

_Whatever. _She didn't care about _him_. If he wanted to pretend they didn't know each other and nothing had ever happened between them, then she would gladly comply. As far as she was concerned, the night of Halloween had been spent all by herself in the comfort of her own home; no orange-haired masked strangers involved at all.

"What floor, miss?"

A man asked in a friendly manner as she stepped into one of the elevators in the building.

"Four." she answered, mentally verifying that she was indeed supposed to go to said floor once again.

The man pressed the correct button for her and the number six as well. He smiled at her as she settled beside him and the doors began to close, leaving them as the only two inside. The man was rather tall, by any standards (which means; he would seem tall even if she _wasn't_ a measly five feet tall). He had wavy brown hair that was slightly unkempt, and eyes of the same color that were rimmed by square black glasses. The pleasant smile never left his face as he began to softly hum to the elevator music.

_Okay…Weird._

The man's demeanor was a friendly one, but Rukia still felt a little relieved when the elevator dinged and the doors opened up to her floor.

"Have a nice day." the man told her nicely as she made to get off. Rukia nodded and attempted a smile, more or less successfully, before hurrying off.

She looked over her shoulder and caught one last glimpse of the smiling man before the heavy steel doors hid him completely. His smile never vanished.

Rukia shivered a little before turning back to look before her. Only to be amazed by the chaos greeting her, the meeting with the man quickly fading into the back of her mind.

As Rukia began to walk forward hesitantly, she avoided rushing people frantically moving around the maze of desks and offices. Everywhere she looked people were picking up phones that seemed to never stop ringing, carrying folders that all looked exactly the same, typing up at lighting speed into several computers, and drinking cups of coffee by the truckload.

It was a noisy, unorganized mess. She actually had to duck as someone carrying two steaming cups of coffee -one in each hand- pushed past her without even noticing her, carrying one of the cups over the place where her head just been.

From the folder she'd picked up the day before with all the paperwork and information she would need, she remembered -after having spent a good deal of the night memorizing every detail- that she needed to look for Ichigo Kurosaki's office. So she went by every door and desk checking the name plaques, with no success until she reached the near end of the floor.

A closed door, with a less than professional looking permanent-marker-inscribed 'KUROSAKI' on it. She reached to open it, but found that it was locked. So she knocked.

There was no answer.

She knocked again, adding a couple more knocks this time.

She thought she heard a muffled sound, but couldn't make out anything coherent.

Her brow began to furrow and she knocked again, faster and harder than necessary this time.

"I said I'm coming damn it!"

The door flew open inwards, revealing a shock of orange spikes and a scowl.

"Oh, it's you."

Rukia did _not_ appreciate the way he said 'Oh, it's you'; like he was saying, 'Oh, it's the bread crust that I don't want on my sandwich. Hurray'.

She also did not appreciate the way he then simply turned his back to her, without so much as a 'Good morning', and went back into the room. Since he didn't close the door, Rukia assumed she was met to follow him inside.

"You're late." was the greeting he gave her.

_Okay, so this is going about as well as I thought it would._

Rukia looked down at her wristwatch and then folded her arms over her chest, glaring at his back. "I was supposed to be here at 8:30." she said as evenly as she could, making sure to keep her temper in check.

"Exactly." Ichigo said before turning to look down at her. "And what time is it now?" he asked slowly, as if speaking to a child who couldn't comprehend.

Rukia's small fists tightened but she made sure to stay cool. _Don't let him ruin this for you. _"Eight thirty-two."

"Well then, correct me if I'm wrong," he started, looking away as if he was actually making the calculations in his head. "But that means…You're late." he looked at her again with a deadpan expression. "I'll have to include that in my evaluation. Being late on the first day sends a really bad impression; didn't anyone teach you that, shortcakes?"

A blood vessel was dangerously close to popping on Rukia's forehead at the word 'shortcakes'. She bit back every possible colorful and original retort that passed through her mind in that split second, and settled for saying in as civilized a manner as she could muster, "Two minutes does not count as being 'late'."

"It does in my book." He said, and that's when Rukia saw him produce a small notepad and pen from inside a drawer on his desk, which was pressed against the wall to her left, and he scribbled something down.

He took no care when he set the notepad down on top of the desk, clearly to her view, allowing her to read it.

_Rukia Kuchiki evaluation chart:_

_Punctuality: -1._

She gaped at what she read. Below the 'punctuality' row, she saw other aspects such as 'responsibility', 'obedience', 'intelligence', amongst others.

"What is that?" she asked through gritted teeth, reminding herself that if she blew up she'd be giving him the satisfaction of loosing her shot at a permanent job.

"It's your evaluation chart. I thought that would be obvious. Guess that scores you a minus one in intelligence…" he trailed off after picking up the notepad and scribbling down what she guessed was her 'grade'.

Who the hell did he think he was? What kind of idiot graded someone that way on a _job_ -err, internship-? Why would such an irritating specimen even be allowed to work over her or over _anyone_?

_Your temper, Rukia._ She forced herself to inhale and closed her eyes, silently counting to ten.

Conjuring a sugary smile and a sickeningly sweet voice, she asked:

"What will my first assignment be, _Mr. Kurosaki?_" she added a couple of spoonfuls of syrupy sweetness to the 'Mr. Kurosaki', and watched with a certain amount of enjoyment as he squirmed all of a sudden.

_That's right. I can play your game too._

"…Right…" he watched her with sudden caution. Afraid, maybe, that if he turned around she'd attack him with lollipops and candy canes. "Well, first of all, you need to know some of the basics." he stated. "Follow me."

With that, Ichigo went past her and exited the office, not even bothering to look to see that Rukia was following, though she was. They didn't go further than a few steps to the cubicles that were just outside the office.

Ichigo stopped at one of the cubicles, where the desk and walls were conspicuously bare. The cubicle was set so the right side wall faced the door to Ichigo's office, which was only a few feet away.

"This," he said, turning to face her and motioning to the general area of the cubicle. "will be your cubicle from now on. You will come straight here every morning at 8:30 _sharp_, and _I _will come to you or send someone to tell you what you have to do. Meaning, you are not to bother me in my office at any time under any circumstances. Is that clear?"

_Yes; it's perfectly clear that you are utterly dismayed to be obligated to be within a five mile radius of me, let alone a few feet._

"Cristal." Rukia muttered without looking at him.

"Excellent. Now sit down and get to work." he ordered, then started to return to his office just like that.

"Wait a minute," Rukia's voice stopped him. "How am I supposed to get to work? You haven't even told me what I'm supposed to do!" she pointed out.

If he was going to be such a dick about it, the least he could do was do his job right.

"…I guess you're right." Ichigo surprised her by agreeing with her. He scratched his chin and looked thoughtful for a moment. "I suppose I better give you something to stay busy…Oh, I know," Ichigo started, looking like he figured it out. "I've got your first job. I need you to run over to the café across the street right now."

Rukia stared at him blankly.

"I need you to get me an espresso."

"…" She looked at him. "You can't be serious."

"You don't see me laughing." he said seriously.

"You can't honestly expect me to act as your personal assistant-"

"I'm sorry? As far as I know, I'm the actual reporter here. I'm your boss; I'm in charge. You're just an intern." he looked down at her in all senses of the expression. "What I say goes, if you want to keep that internship, that is."

Bastard.

Damn ass hole. She couldn't believe it! He was flat out threatening her! How _dare_ he!

Of course, he was right. He was the one with an actual job, and she was just a freshly graduated wannabe columnist with a sliver of a hope at one day working at Seretei. And if she had to listen to the stupid orders of a douche of a boss to keep that hope…Then she had no other choice but to do so.

Unless, of course, she quit her internship and went looking for a job on one of the many other newspapers or magazines in Karakura…

And be written out of her brother's will in the process. Not an option then.

Rukia's fists clenched and unclenched at her sides once as she grit her teeth.

"Would you like cream on that?"

She kept her gaze firmly locked on the blue carpeted floor, refusing to look at the smug look that she knew would be on his face.

"You better not forget it."

-x-

_Splash_

Clear water droplets ran down Rukia's face. She looked into her purplish blue eyes in the mirror, supporting half of her weight on her arms, each holding on to the sides of the white sink.

She stared into her own eyes for a long moment, testing the intensity and determination in them. Was it enough?

It was now past four in the afternoon, and Rukia was utterly wiped out. She had been running around _all_ day. Her feet throbbed in her shoes, and she was tempted to slip them off, but one look at the wet tiles of the restroom stopped that train of thought in its tracks.

From the café across the street, up and down nearly every floor of the building, a store more than three blocks away, and a drug store down the street, to a dry cleaner's two streets away; she felt like she'd run a full marathon -_in high heels_-.

Why had she basically crossed all over the town in the past hours?

Well, she had her bitter, scowling, loud, orange-haired amnesiac 'boss' to thank for that.

It seemed that Ichigo was more irritated by getting stuck with her than she'd originally thought, and he'd decided that the best approach to the situation was to make every minute she was at Seretei a living hell for her.

He'd spent all day sending her on these stupid errands; personal tasks that she had no business doing for him, and she had no option but to follow instructions. It was inhuman, in her opinion. It was also unprofessional. But most of all, it was _not nice_.

A glance at her watch told her that she'd already spent almost fifteen minutes in the restroom, and that a certain undesirable someone would begin to wonder where his new lackey was.

Gathering all her willpower, she dried her face and dragged herself out of the restroom and back to her newly assigned cubicle, hoping to get at least five minutes of peace by herself.

But she should have known that some greater force was out to keep her miserable. The moment her cubicle came into view, so did a mess of bright colored hair.

For a weak moment, she tried retracing her steps back to the restroom for a quick escape, but it seemed that Ichigo wore a rearview mirror somewhere because the moment she appeared he turned and saw her.

"There you are, where the hell have you been? You've wasted almost twenty minutes-"

He rambled for a little longer and Rukia tuned him out this time, in order to maintain some sanity at least.

"-be there and back in no more than ten minutes."

"…"

"Hey! Did you hear what I said?" she felt his glare on her, but chose to look away and ignore it.

"Hm? Oh, yeah." she answered purposely looking distracted.

She felt his already-narrowed eyes scold her further. "I _told_ you, and I will not repeat myself, that you have to go up to the eight floor and-"

Again, she opted to play elevator music in her mind. She even started to bob her head a little as she watched his lips moving soundlessly.

For a brief instance, her mind betrayed her and, as her eyes focused on his lips, her brain suddenly flashed her a memory sharp and clear as day of those same lips pressed tightly against hers, and sending fiery licks through her entire nervous system. She remembered vividly as those lips parted against her mouth, allowing the organ inside his mouth to slid through and enter her mouth, then-

_STOP THAT RIGHT THERE!_

The alarm bells went off in her head. She quickly shook herself out of that memory and traveled back to the present, where that man she'd remembered was overshadowed by the grizzly and cruel imitation before her.

"_Are you listening to me?_" his sharp question came with vividly glaring amber orbs.

Rukia paused for a moment, gauging the many feelings coursing through her. Then she spoke.

"No."

Watching his face go from angry to confused and then mad again was rather entertaining, she noted mentally.

"And before you tell me to go on another one of your absurd requests," she went on before he could start. "I refuse."

She was slightly surprised at how calm and collected she sounded and felt; especially when she should have been freaking out at how she was a few moments away from loosing her chance at a job on Seretei. That's how she knew something within her had definitely snapped.

"I'm tired of you and your _stupid _attitude." she continued, on a role. "Who do you think you are, the _Pope?"_ her voice began to rise. "Well I have news for ya buddy, you're _not_." she emphasized her point by poking him non-too-gently on the chest with her pointer finger.

"And another thing," she began again, ignoring how he opened his mouth to speak and cutting him off shamelessly. "I don't know why you've been pretending not to know me all this time, maybe you're embarrassed or ashamed, who knows! But don't think just because you regret what happened Saturday night it gives you the right to treat me-" she had missed the look of alarm that flashed through his eyes when she mentioned Saturday night, and hadn't noticed her voice had been steadily rising, drawing the attention of every worker on the floor, until a large hand clamped down over her mouth and shut her up.

Her muffled protests were ignored as Ichigo's stronger arms came around her and began pulling her, not uncovering her mouth.

"Someone went a little overboard with the coffee today," Ichigo was saying for the benefit of everyone around them, who had dropped their respective tasks and were staring at the two of them with interest. "She just needs a little rest, nothing to see here, people! Get back to work!"

Rukia struggled against his hold with no luck, and helplessly felt herself being dragged into an office.

The door was shut and locked before Rukia even had a chance to process that they were in Ichigo's office.

"OW!" Ichigo wailed and shook his hand in the air. "You _bit _me!" he accused.

Rukia pretended to wipe her mouth in disgust and glared at him. "What the hell do you think-"

"Lower your voice would you?" Ichigo hissed at her, having closed the distance between them and covering her mouth again, despite the crescent-shaped bitemarks decorating his tan skin.

Rukia mustered up the most heated glare she could come up with and met his head on.

"I'm going to take my hand off now…" he started cautiously, before slowly removing his hand.

"YOU-!" Rukia shouted the moment she was free to do so, enraged beyond belief. She didn't have a chance to go any further before her mouth was covered again.

"Stop screaming, damn it!"

Rukia didn't struggle now and just glared.

"Are you going to stop screaming?" Ichigo asked, eyeing her warily.

Rukia reluctantly nodded, maintaining eye contact.

"Okay…" he kept looking at her nervously as he took off his hand, as if afraid she'd yell again.

"_You son of a bitch!"_ Rukia hissed, controlling her voice but pouring as much venom as she could in it. After an entire day of being exploited by this guy, she had reached her boiling point.

_Kuchiki calmness be damned. This ass hole has it coming!_

"What the hell is the matter with you?" he looked at her like she was crazy. It heightened the anger she was already feeling.

"What's the matter with _me?_ What's the matter with _you?"_

"You're the one who started yelling like a madwoman in front of everybody!"

"You're the one who has been making me run around all day like your freaking lackey threatening me to loose my internship if I don't!"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Rukia gaped. Did he seriously ask that…? Her hands clenched at her sides. It took every inch of her willpower not to attack him physically.

"_You…" _she growled.

Ichigo crossed his arms over his chest and stood erect, looking down at her as if waiting for her insult.

"You know what? Forget it." she said, unclenching her hands. "This isn't worth it. Would you at least answer me one question?" she looked up at him, then went on without waiting for an answer. "Were you _that_ ashamed? Did you regret it that much?"

Her questions, obviously referring to their original meeting, seemed to catch him by surprise, and he stood gaping at her for a moment. Rukia didn't move her gaze away at first, but then just shook her head and started to move past him. "Fine." she muttered.

She was about to reach for the door knob when a hand on her arm stopped her.

She turned around, surprised, and saw Ichigo scowling as he looked away.

"Wait." he said, then let go of her arm. Rukia tried not to show any emotion as she crossed her arms and looked at him expectantly. "What now? You need me to fetch you a latté before I leave?"

"Shut up and let me talk." he said, turning to her with narrowed eyes. Taken aback, Rukia merely blinked and did as he said.

Ichigo averted his eyes and scratched behind his head as he spoke. "Look, about what happened Saturday night…" she could almost see a slight coloring of his cheeks, but she wrote it off as her imagination playing tricks on her.

"Oh? So you _do _remember?" she raised an incredulous eyebrow.

"Would it kill you to let me finish?" he was silent as he glared at her, waiting to see if she'd say anything else. She didn't, and he went on. "Yes, I _do _remember. I thought the reason I pretended otherwise would be obvious."

Rukia only stared, signaling that it obviously _wasn't._

"Okay, I see you're a bit on the slow side." before she could speak her retort, he went on. "Clearly it's escaped your notice, but it doesn't exactly make a great impression on your boss when you say you know the new intern because you met her in a closet at a wild party and without knowing her made out with her."

Despite his annoyed scowl, Rukia was sure she could see pink stains on his cheeks now. However, she didn't call him on it as she felt her own cheeks heat up with color.

"Oh." she said stupidly.

"Yeah," Ichigo said with a sarcastic roll of his eyes. "_Oh."_

"Well you didn't have to be such a dick about it!" she went on, hoping to cover up her moment of stupidity.

"I wasn't being a 'dick' about anything." he defended himself.

Rukia raised her eyebrows incredulously.

"…Okay, so I treated you a little roughly…"

"A _little?_"

"A lot!" he admitted in annoyance. "So what about it?"

"What do you mean 'what about it'? The least you could do is apologize." Rukia looked at him sternly.

"Wha-? The hell I will! I didn't ask to be stuck with you!" he raised his voice, Rukia noted silently, and took this as permission to rise hers as well.

"I didn't ask to be stuck with you either but that's what I got!"

Somewhere in her mind, she wondered at what she could have possibly seen in this guy before.

"Good, then I guess we're even. Good day to you." he said as he opened the door and motioned for her to leave with a fake polite manner.

Rukia took a step forward and slammed the door shut, not taking her eyes off him. "Look, dandelion," she started, ignoring the look on his face when she called him 'dandelion'. "I want this job more than anything else. I'm not letting you ruin that for me. And I know for a fact that your own job here is at stake."

His eyes narrowed at her, but he didn't call her on her bluff -meaning she'd struck home. "So what do you propose, Einstein?"

"A truce." she said, looking at him evenly. "You help me get a hang of this business and Seretei in general, and give me _actual_ assignments and jobs_,_ which means you will_ not _treat me like a personal assistant. And in return, I'll stay out of your ridiculously colored hair and even put in a good word for you."

Ichigo raised an orange eyebrow. "What makes you think your word will mean anything here?"

"I'm sure that this 'supervising' thing works both ways. Your opinion of me will determine if I get a job as much as mine of you will determine if you keep yours." she said, gaining more confidence as she spoke. A look at his face told her she was on the right path. "And you know that already. So why don't you make this easier for the both of us and agree?"

He seemed to consider her. "So what you're saying is that we treat each other civilly, then tell the bosses how good the other is?"

"Exactly. I get a job, you keep yours, and we can go on disliking each other. Everybody is happy. We don't even have to mention that little 'incident' Saturday night. " she finished.

"I guess that sounds reasonable. Alright," Ichigo trust out a hand before her. "You got yourself a deal, Intern."

She decided to ignore how he used the title 'intern' like a name and took his hand in a firm grasp. "Truce, then?" she looked him in the eye.

"Truce." he confirmed, and they shook hands, sealing the deal.

Rukia allowed herself a small victorious smirk.

She was one step closer to her future; no orange-haired idiot would get in her way now...hopefully.

* * *

**A/N: This didn't turn out like I'd planned, but what's done is done. I hope it didn't suck too bad...Anyways, this is a transition chapter. NOW the story begins ;) Oh and btw, Yes, that was Aizen in the elevator. And he WILL come up on the story again, before anyone asks. I won't say how, when or why. ;P **

**Once again, I must say I was overwhelmed with the amount of reviews I received :') thank you so much:**

_**novicestar, 09ice, ali6220, Portrait of a Scribe, shnizlefritz, loveyouso, Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky, Prizz, M.O.N.S.T.E.R. EATS. POCKY., Personal Riot, MeoNg, alyssa, IchiRuki77, Ebbie54, Sofantastic, Aizawa Ayumu Oz Vessalius, **_**and**_** Nivek01**_

**I can't say how absolutely thrilled I was when I read your reviews :D**

**I hope I didn't disappoint anyone. You guys motivated me to get my butt to work on this xD Now I better go cuz I have tons to read for college this week...hehe. **

**I hope you enjoyed :) Reviews are love^.^**


	4. A Nice Guy, Maybe

Rukia elegantly took a bite out of her sub so large that even Renji was impressed. Her cheeks bulged as she chewed and her face melted into a content expression before she gulped down the food.

"Should I give you two some privacy?" her redheaded friend -seated across from her- asked, referring to the way she gazed lovingly at the sandwich in her hands.

"This is the first food I've had today;" Rukia said seriously. "Let me enjoy my moment." then she dived in for another ridiculously large bite.

Renji stared at her. "Boy, they're really overworking you over there, huh?" he said, referring to her internship at Seretei.

Rukia shrugged. "Iw's nawt tha bawd." she spoke through a mouthful of bread, chicken, tomato and lettuce. Seeing Renji's dumbfounded expression, she amended, "It's not that bad."

He made a 'hmph" sound. "How about that supervisor guy you told me about? Whats-his-name?"

"Ichigo?" she looked thoughtful for a moment.

* * *

"_Oi, Intern."_

_She pushed against the desk to roll backwards in her wheeled chair and out of her cubicle, assuming an annoyed expression. "Yes, oh mighty one?"_

_The orange-haired man grimaced at the address she used. She chuckled inwardly. "Cut it with the nicknames."_

_Rukia rolled her eyes. "Alright, Ichigo." she bit back a smirk; she knew he got irritated when she used his first name._

"_I have work for you." he stated simply, then dropped a heavy pile of papers on her lap._

_She frowned down at it. "Don't you ever have something nice for me? Why is it never 'Good morning, Rukia!' or 'Have a nice day!'"_

"_I'm your boss, not a self-help video." he deadpanned._

"_Supervisor. You're my _supervisor._" Rukia clarified._

"_Same difference." Ichigo waved her off. "Get to work."_

_And he was off to shut himself in his office again._

* * *

Rukia came back from the flashback. "No improvement, I'm sorry to report." she said, answering Renji's question. "He's as grouchy as ever."

"Sucks for you."

"You're not exactly helping, sunshine." she glared at her friend. Then she looked back at her half eaten sandwich and thought for a moment. "At least he's kept his end of the bargain. He's been giving me actual work, even though intern work isn't very exciting…And aside from his general bad mood, he hasn't been too big of an ass yet."

"Sounds like a real charmer, this guy." Renji said sarcastically.

"You don't know the half of it." Rukia sighed and dropped her unfinished sub on the plate before her, her appetite suddenly vanishing. She rested her face on her hand and blew a strand of hair out of her face in a bored manner.

"Ah, cheer up. You've been working there, what? Two weeks? I'm sure he'll warm up to you eventually." he consoled.

"Obviously you don't know him."

"Well, it's not like you're the easiest person to get along wit-" a narrowed look stopped him short. "Anyway, he can't be _that_ bad." he tried reasoning.

"Whatever." she didn't feel like arguing at that point. "I don't like him." she folded her arms over her chest stubbornly.

Renji raised a tattooed eyebrow. "You sure about that? Maybe the whole problem is that you're attract-"

"Can it right there, pineapple!" Without warning, a piece of silverware flew at the man's head with accurate precision.

"Gah! What's the matter with you? You could have poked my eye out with that!" he scolded a little too loudly, attracting a few stares from the people seated around them at the sidewalk café. "Besides, touchy much?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Rukia said through gritted teeth, crossing her arms again to keep from hitting him again and causing a scene. Renji had no idea how close to home he'd hit.

"I think you do." he said simply, as if he was unfazed by her anger. "But believe what you want. He who laughs last, laughs…" he trailed off. "What was it again?"

Rukia groaned and banged her head against the table. "How is it that _you_ have an actual job and I don't again?"

"I'm a people person."

Rukia looked up to him, with his obnoxiously red, gravity-defying pony tail and all his tattooed glory. Then she dropped her head on the table again. A muffled _"Why?"_ escaped her form.

-x-

Rukia rested her face on one hand as the other worked the keyboard, one key at a time. She looked at the computer screen through half-closed eyes and lazily scrolled down the page at certain intervals.

_Type, scroll, type, scroll, click; type, scroll, type, scroll, click; type, scroll, type, scroll, click…_

Anyone who walked by would easily identify this as the picture of absolute boredom.

"I see you're getting the hang of this."

Rukia nearly jumped out of her skin as a head popped up over the edge of the cubicle's front wall and spoke.

"Gah! Are you _trying_ to scare me to death?" she berated, though she wasn't anywhere near being mad.

She recognized the man's face immediately. In front of her, calmly resting his chin on his bronzed arms -which were nonchalantly folded on the edge of the thin wall- was Kaien Shiba.

Kaien worked on the cubicle connected to hers, and had made it a habit to pop up over the edge at random moments for seemingly no reason at all…(usually he wanted to borrow a stapler or some other office supply which he should have had).

"Why would I want that?" Kaien questioned her previous exclamation. "I can't have my favorite coworker dying on me. Who else would I turn to in my time of need?" Kaien said with playful dread.

Rukia rolled her eyes, a tiny smile making its way to her face.

One thing she hadn't mentioned to Renji, was the part of working at Seretei that pretty much made it all -damnably attractive but irritating supervisors included- bearable. And that was Kaien.

"What do you need this time?" Rukia asked. "Stapler? Printing paper? Chewing gum?"

"What? Why do you immediately assume I want something?" Kaien looked mockingly hurt. "Can't I just pop up for a word with my friend? Honestly! You hurt my feelings, Rukia."

She rolled her eyes, already accustomed to his ways. "Of course you can. I guess that means I can just lock away all my much-needed supplies to just 'have a word' now-"

"Wait!" he cut her off as she'd started closing a drawer with all the office supplies in it. Rukia smirked. "I was hoping you'd have a spare pair of scissors in there, you know, for a friend." he grinned sheepishly.

"As it just so happens…" she was deliberately slow in extracting a pair from the drawer. "I do. But-" she pulled them out of his reach just as his hand flew towards them. "This is the third time today you've borrowed them. I believe a fee is in order."

Kaien looked deflated. "You would charge your own friend for a simple favor?"

She smirked. "I've been craving a glazed donut from that shop where your wife works at, lately. But it's such a long trip from my apartment…"

"Done." he immediately said, and Rukia let him snatch the scissors away from her without further ado.

Rukia was just opening her mouth to tell him what a sold-out he was, when they were interrupted by someone conspicuously clearing his throat.

"This isn't a social hangout, you two." The orange-haired man had emerged from his office with a glare for Rukia and Kaien. "Get back to work, Shiba." he ordered. The dark-haired man complied and disappeared back into his cubicle after shooting Rukia an apologetic look.

"And you," Ichigo pointed at Rukia, then to the door behind him. "In my office."

She blinked, wondering what she had done to deserve that. In the two weeks of her internship, after that first day, she hadn't stepped foot in Ichigo's office even once. He would always come out to deliver her work at her cubicle, never calling her in.

So, curious as to the sudden change, Rukia followed him into the office. Ichigo closed the door behind them and went to his desk, not taking the only available seat, so they were both standing.

"Ukitake sent me word about one of our writers being out of commission after an unfortunate accident." he spoke while searching the contents of his desk, not facing her.

"Um…I'm sorry?" What was she supposed to say?

"You shouldn't be." Ichigo corrected, straightening up with a folder in his hands. He finally looked at her. "The guy was supposed to do an article on home appliances for this Friday."

Rukia stared. "…And?"

"And we need someone else to cover that spot for the paper. Guess who's getting that spot."

Rukia blinked, slowly processing his words. "You mean…?"

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" Charming, as always. "_You_'re covering the spot, Intern. We'll need you to have the article typed up by Wednesday at the latest. Make sure its properly edited by then; we don't want to waste time on spellchecking the proper names for refrigerators."

Rukia didn't utter a word. She was, quite frankly, speechless at the moment.

Ichigo seemed to notice her lack of response for the first time. "Oi! Did you hear me?" he leaned down before her and flicked her on the forehead.

"Ow!" she cried, taking a hand to the reddening spot. "Why'd you do that?"

"Well, it seems I finally have your attention." he muttered. "I just told you you've been given a chance to prove your worth and you're just standing there with that dumb look on your face." he accused.

Rukia, for once, was embarrassed. "I- I was shocked! How did…I mean…Wouldn't this usually mean some other writer would get the article? I'm just an intern…"

"Obviously it wasn't a coincidence." Ichigo said, turning away from her to look at some interesting spot on the wall. "I suggested you take the article to Ukitake; he agreed. End of story."

_Now _Rukia was surprised. "_You_ recommended me?"

Ichigo turned and found her gawking. "Don't get that sappy look! It's part of the deal, remember? The faster you're done with the internship, the sooner you're not my responsibility, and I'm out of probation. Win-win."

He explained it so calmly and logically, Rukia might have brushed it off as nothing but a selfish act. But even if she'd only known Ichigo for two weeks (an extra two days if you counted their _first_ meeting) she knew enough to see through that nonchalance.

"Thank you." she said sincerely.

Ichigo looked slightly flustered at her gratitude. "Yeah, well." he scratched behind his ear awkwardly. "Make sure you don't make me look bad."

With that, he shoved the folder in her hand. Rukia took a peek inside and beamed.

Finally, her first actual job. Perhaps this wouldn't finalize her place at Seretei, but it was definitely one step closer to being done with her internship and having a secure job at last.

With a hurried goodbye, she was out of the office and in front of her computer with renewed vigor.

_Seretei Daily here I come._

-x-

_Next morning…_

When Ichigo Kurosaki went to work that morning, he expected the usual: too much editing to do, lack of competence from his coworkers, harassment from his superiors, and a conspicuous lack of chocolate bars in the vending machines.

However, that morning he walked into his office to find something unexpected.

He was, at first, pleasantly surprised to see a folder on his desk, containing Rukia Kuchiki's completed article on home appliances. He wasn't used to getting things -or delivering them- on time, much less ahead of time. This was a first.

So yes, Ichigo was rather pleased.

Those feelings changed, though, the moment he extracted the contents of the folder and flipped through them. "What the…" His eyes widened then narrowed as he read hastily through it.

Everyone currently working on the fourth floor jumped and dropped what they were doing as the door to the office of Ichigo Kurosaki opened and slammed into the wall with audible force. But even more forceful, was the man him self's booming voice as he called.

"INTERN! In my office, _NOW_."

All eyes were suddenly on the small black-haired girl frozen in her cubicle.

"What did you _do_?" half-whispered Kaien over the wall.

Rukia shrugged as if to say 'Don't know', then got up and retreated to the office, shutting the door to all the curious glances.

"Err…Ichigo? Sir?" she quickly amended, a sign that even _she _was a bit intimidated.

"_What the hell is this?"_ Ichigo asked lowly, dangerously, pointing to the folder with her article currently sitting on his desk.

"My article?" she answered with a tone that made it sound like a question.

"Yes, I saw that." Ichigo said, his eyes shadowed by his bangs, hiding his expression. "What I want to know…" he paused for effect, before suddenly lifting his gaze and pointing at the offending folder. "-is why on _earth _is it about RABBITS?"

Rukia flinched at his loud voice. "It's not about rabbits!" she quickly said. "It's about home appliances, like you said!"

"No," he corrected. "It's about the wonders of Chappy For Home products!" he accused with disgust. "What the hell?"

"What?" Rukia asked, like she was genuinely confused. "They have a whole line of home appliances. Great quality too." she stated, as if she knew from experience. Ichigo didn't want to think about the possibility.

"That's not what you were supposed to write about." he narrowed his eyes at her, then roughly grabbed the folder like it had offended him -which it most certainly had- and shoved it under her nose. "Do it over."

"What?" she screeched. "I worked on it all night!" she yelled at him, and by the shadows under her eyes, he knew she was telling the truth.

"Too bad!" he yelled back. "Do something better next time."

She gaped incredulously at him. "Are you insane? That's a perfectly good piece of work right there! Like hell I'll be writing another!"

"You _will_ and you'll have it ready by morning." he corrected calmly.

"That's ridiculous! I'm not writing anything more."

"That's out of the question. You are, and you will. Remember, my ass is on the line as well."

"No! I refuse." she folded her arms over her chest and looked away, chin up and legs apart, for effect.

Ichigo felt his patience well -never too highly stocked in the first place- begin to run out. "Don't make this difficult. I got you this chance, you can't repay me with _this_." he waved the folder in her face for emphasis.

"Now do it over." he said, shoving the folder in her arms.

Rukia gaped down at it then glared up at him. "I said _no!_" she slammed the folder -with a good amount of force too- on his chest.

Ichigo tried to pretend he wasn't slightly out of breath from the hit. "And I, your _boss,"_ he grabbed the edges of the folder that she was still holding against him. "Said _yes!_" he pushed it back into her.

Before he had a chance to let go, Rukia pushed it back towards him. "You are my _supervisor! _No!"

"Yes!" he pushed back.

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Never!"

"Right now!"

"Like hell!"

"Stop arguing!"

"Stop being an idiot!"

With each forceful exclamation they continued shoving the folder back and forth, all the time glaring furiously at each other and using a little more force than necessary. Neither paused when their forceful shoves started to make them stagger slightly in place.

"I will _not!_" she yelled with a powerful shove that actually pushed him and left him stumbling to the wall.

"You little-!" he glared strongly as, instead of pushing, he pulled the folder towards him and succeeded in making her loose her balance. She stumbled clumsily and fell forward- right into his chest.

Unfortunately for both of them, Mr. Ukitake chose that moment to open the door and come in. The scene he was greeted with of Rukia pressed against Ichigo, who's back was against the wall, could be interpreted in a million different ways…Non of which spelled 'promotion' for the orange-haired man.

Looking like children caught with their hands in the cookie jar, Ichigo and Rukia scrambled away from each other, red staining their cheeks.

"My, my," Ukitake smiled. "It seems like you two are finally warming up."

"NO!" the two exclaimed simultaneously.

Ukitake chuckled good humouredly, while another man stepped out from behind him, up to that point unnoticed by either Ichigo or Rukia.

He cleared his throat loudly. "I don't need to remind either of you that the company has a strict 'no relationships' policy between coworkers, right?" the man said, looking sternly at the pair.

"Of course not, Mr. Aizen." Ichigo said hastily, clearing his throat and hoping the unwanted heat in his cheeks would fade away quickly.

The bespectacled man gave a hearty chuckle. "I was just joking, Kurosaki. I would never suspect any wrong from you." he smiled at Ichigo, who struggled not to squirm under those brown orbs that seemed to look right into one's soul. Luckily for him, Aizen turned to look beside him at Rukia.

"And who's this?" he asked.

"This is the new intern I was telling you about; Rukia Kuchiki." Ukitake answered, smiling almost proudly as he motioned towards Rukia.

"Ah, Kuchiki." The light reflected off of the Aizen's dark-framed glasses as he lowered his gaze to Rukia's. "I've heard so much about you. All of it good, of course." he added smoothly.

Ichigo gave a sideways glance to see that Rukia's cheeks had turned a darker red at the compliment. He wondered by her reaction if she was never used to hearing those.

"Thank you, Sir." she said, lowering her head respectfully.

"Oh, how rude of me! I haven't introduced myself." laughed Aizen. "I'm Sosuke Aizen. Pleased to meet you, Kuchiki."

"Pleasure, Sir." Rukia said politely, taking his outstretched hand to shake.

"Sosuke is the editor of our sister newspaper, the Gotei." Ukitake explained for Rukia's benefit. "He doesn't work in Karakura, he's just visiting for a while, isn't that right?"

"Yes, thank you for the introduction, Jushiro." said Aizen, looking at his comrade before focusing back on Rukia. "I'm only here for a couple of months, but I'm hoping to acquaint myself with as many promising writers as I can. I'm glad to know I'm in the presence of one of them." he said, and Ichigo rolled his eyes. He very much doubted he was talking about _him_.

"I'm flattered." Rukia said.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Ichigo spoke up, reminding everyone that he was still in the room.

"Ah, Ichigo." Ukitake looked at him. "I'm afraid I need you to finish that article on home appliances sooner than expected."

Ichigo never wanted to tell Ukitake to can it as much as he did then. He didn't need to look to know that Rukia was looking at him quizzically.

"If you could have it by the end of the day that would be great." Ukitake said.

"But I-" Ichigo started to protest, but was cut off by another voice.

"It's right here!" Rukia said quickly, holding out the folder containing the abomination about rabbit merchandise.

"Oh!" Ukitake exclaimed, taking the folder in his hands. Ichigo wanted to scream and rip it away, but knew it was too late now. He was screwed. "That's excellent. I suppose that solves that, then!" he said with sickening cheerfulness.

"Ukitake-" he tried.

"I'm sorry I can't stay." the white-haired man cut him off. "Sosuke and I have some business to attend to. Thank you, though, Ichigo. Having this ready is a great help."

Ichigo opened his mouth to protest, but then reconsidered. "Yeah…No problem." he said as nonchalantly as he could, shoulders slumped.

Ukitake and Aizen gave their apologies and said their farewells then exited, leaving Ichigo and Rukia standing in the office alone.

Rukia crossed her arms over her chest and turned to Ichigo with a raised eyebrow.

"You can leave now; good day." Ichigo said, non-too-subtly, without looking at her.

Rukia, of course, didn't move. "When were you planning to tell me that _you_ were supposed to do the article?"

"_I _am busy writing actual reports on worthwhile things. An article for home appliances is exactly the type of job an intern should do." he said calmly, still not facing her.

He felt her eyes boring into him. "And you were going to use mine with your name on it?" she questioned, though he was pretty sure by her tone that she already suspected that wasn't the case.

"No, your name is written there, isn't it? Ukitake doesn't have time to read something minor like that over; he'd never notice until it's published."

"And I'd get on the paper." she finished, having figured out his plan.

"Yes. Now that you know, you can leave." he started to go to his chair, hoping she'd just leave it at that.

No such luck. "You never talked to Mr. Ukitake about me getting the article. He never agreed to it." she spoke from behind him, still on the same spot she'd been in before.

Ichigo groaned inwardly. "I _did_ tell him about it. He said he thought it was a good idea, but not for this. It was too short notice and he thought you wouldn't make it on time."

"You thought differently."

It wasn't a question, but Ichigo answered anyway. "Yes. Now, would you mind?" he looked at her over his shoulder. "I have work to do."

Rukia looked pensive. "That was…nice of you." she decided.

"Yeah, I'm the freaking Pope. Now get out."

"I never thought I would say this twice in one week, but…Thanks, Ichigo."

He turned around to look at her, and saw that she was being sincere, not mocking as usual. "You can thank me by leaving my office." he deadpanned.

She didn't look ruffled by his rudeness. "Is that why you were so bothered by the Chappy merchandise?" she asked now.

Ichigo let out an exasperated sigh. "Yes, because if Ukitake _did _eye through the article, he'd either know something was off, or worse…He'd think it was me."

Rukia laughed suddenly. She _laughed._

"There's nothing funny about that!" he exclaimed.

"Yes, there is." Rukia said between laughs. "You just don't have the sense of humor necessary to see it."

Ichigo made a show of rolling his eyes. "No, you're just weird."

It was Rukia's turn to roll her eyes. "Whatever you say."

Ichigo suspected that she was still thinking about what he did and figuring he was some really nice guy…He wasn't. He did it purely to get rid of her faster. No other reason _at all._

"Are you going to stand there and irritate me all day?" he asked rudely.

"As fun as that sounds, I do have better things to do. Thanks for the invite, though."

"I didn't-!" but it was too late; she was gone.

Damn her. The girl really knew how to get under his skin. He wondered what he ever saw in her.

His mind was quick to produce quite a few _visual_ answers to that. He accordingly told his mind to shut the hell up and mind its own business; then he went back to work.

-x-

"What was that all about?" asked Kaien the moment she exited Ichigo's office, a sly smile still playing at her lips.

"Nothing." was her automatic reply.

"Nothing?" he repeated dubiously. "You're not smiling like it was 'nothing'."

"Just some stuff about an article." she tried waving him off. But Kaien could sure be persistent...And nosy.

"Yeah, right! I heard yelling. Actually," he corrected. "The whole fourth floor heard it."

Rukia tried not to seem embarrassed and act cool. "Well, we had a little disagreement." she couldn't stop a blush when she remembered how that had ended; with her pressed against her supervisor's rather toned chest. She prayed Kaien wouldn't notice the added color on her cheeks.

"Hmmmmmm?" he stretched out the syllable and looked closely at her. "What's this? Blushing are we?" she couldn't help but blush further under his scrutiny. "Why, you and our orange-haired supervisor from hell wouldn't happen to have a thing going on now, would you?"

"No!" she said a little too quickly.

"Aha!" Kaien laughed at her expense. "That's okay. I won't tell on you, I get it. Hormones and all."

"Kaien!" she exclaimed, completely embarrassed.

When she finally went back to work, she couldn't stop her mind from going back to what she had found out Ichigo had done for her.

Regardless of it being because he wanted to get rid of her faster, as he had told her bluntly; he'd gone out of his way, behind his boss's back, risking his job which they both knew to be hanging dangerously on the line, so she could get on the paper.

She didn't know whether to be thrilled or worried. For one thing, she now knew that her getting on the paper might cost Ichigo his job; she might not like the guy ('_Are you sure?'_ her mind asked. '_Shut up!'_ she answered) but she didn't want to get him fired on her behalf.

On the other hand, _she_ hadn't done anything wrong; he was the one to tell her to write the article and she had. Whatever consequences came of it were his fault alone. And if it did happen to work out, then she'll be that much closer to being off the internship and with a real job!

She couldn't stop grinning at the thought.

_Yes, it'll all work out._

And if it did, she couldn't help reminding herself, it would all be thanks to him…

The irony of it was painful. But most of all, what struck her was the fact that, act as he might, perhaps Ichigo was more of a nice guy than he was willing to admit.

* * *

**A/N: I wrote and rewrote this so many times its not even funny. I'm still not entirely sure about this, but oh well, its what I have. Its mainly to set the mood as to how things have been working out between Ichigo and Rukia for now; things will change pretty soon.**

**And yes, Kaien is alive!Hurray! (and just in case anyone was going to ask; No, there will not be any sort of love triangle between him Rukia and Ichigo. As Rukia mentions in the story, he has a wife and I inform you he is happily married. End of story.)**

**Also, I know some of you are eager to get the IchiRuki-ness going on already; I know this is pretty damn slow after that first chapter, but to be fair I did warn you. And I like to develop the pairing before I get to the good stuff (but worry not! More chapters like chapter one will occur in the not-so-far future!)**

**Another thing, I got flamed last chapter. I hadn't been flamed in a while. Heh. I was pretty pissed, but now I'm calmed down and would just like to say a few things: To my lovely flamer, next time, if you would at least have the figurative balls to leave a _signed _review so I can reply directly, that would be great. Second, the joke's on you buddy, cause I do not _suck,_ I _swallow._**

**To my lovely reviewers:**

**_M.O.N.S.T.E.R. EATS. P.O.C.K.Y., shnizlefritz, ali6220, novicestar, Prizz, Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky, Aizawa Ayumu Oz Vessalius, Nivek01, MeoNg, IchiRuki77, reaper baby xp, alyssa_ (lmao you're right! you are the only actual name XD), and _ai_**

**Thank you guys so much! Reading your reviews over and over makes me so happy!(ehem, well...not over and over and over, heh. you know, I'm busy doing other...stuff...ehem, hehe)**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! (not very eventful, I'm sorry, but yeah, i'm slow at beginnings xD) And a slightly late Happy Thanksgiving to you all!**


	5. Déja vu

Ukitake leaned back in his leather chair, his feet comfortably propped up on his oak desk; he calmly took a sip of the cup of tea in one hand, the newspaper held in the other.

"Hmm." he hummed to himself as he read. After a moment of deliberation, he leaned forward and pressed a button on his telephone which would immediately connect him to his secretary.

"_Hello Mr. Ukitake! What can I do for y-"_

The female voice was interrupted by another, deeper voice. "_Mr. Ukitake! What can _I _do for you?"_

"_Go away Sentaro! Mr. Ukitake doesn't need you, he called _me!"

"_Because he feels bad for you and wants to make you feel useful because he's such a nice guy!"_

"_That's not-!"_

"Kiyone, Sentaro," Ukitake broke in. "Either one of you, call up Kurosaki and Kuchiki. Tell them to meet me in my office."

"_Yes, Sir!"_ two voices answered in unison.

"Thank you." he sighed, rubbing his temples. He settled down on his seat properly and set down the newspaper on the desk before him.

Around five minutes later, he heard voices just outside the door.

"_This is all your fault!"_ one voice hissed.

"My_ fault? Who was it that couldn't write a damn article without including rodents in it?"_ another hissed back.

"_Rabbits! Not rodents! And you say it like I didn't write about what I was supposed to!"_

"_You weren't supposed to include any form of fluffy animals in it! And newsflash, they _are _rodents!"_

The voices sounded closer and louder each time. Ukitake listened to their quarrel go from rabbits vs. rodents back to exactly whose fault it was.

Ukitake blinked as the doors to his office burst open and a pair of very different-looking people stumbled inside.

"Good morning, Mr. Ukitake." said the petite raven-haired girl politely, at the same time as the tall orange-haired man beside her mimicked her words mutely and with added facial expressions that earned him what was probably supposed to be a subtle elbow in his gut from the girl.

"Morning, Ukitake." grumbled Ichigo, sorely rubbing his side and managing to glare at the one beside him out of the corner of his eye.

"Good morning to you too." The white-haired editor smiled at the two, already used to the dynamic of his bickering secretary and assistant. Really, could there be no peaceful people in his life?

"You…called us up here?" Rukia asked tentatively.

"Yes, yes. Sit down." Ukitake urged, and the other two shared a look, then did as he said and settled in the armchairs on the other side of his desk. "I wanted to talk to you about an article released last Friday." he informed them.

Ichigo and Rukia shared another look, which they probably thought Ukitake didn't see…They were wrong, of course. Ichigo looked like he was trying a bit too hard to remain unruffled. "What about it, Sir?" he asked through grit teeth, with unusual politeness.

"I do believe I told you to write the article on home appliances, correct, Ichigo?" Ukitake asked the man.

The orange-head gulped. "Err…Correct."

"Well," he went on. "I'm pleased to say that the article was a success. There were plenty of calls from people saying how they were eager to try these Chappy home appliances, and many informed how pleased they were with their products on our webpage. I did not have such high expectations for this article, I'll admit." Ukitake looked directly at Ichigo. "But you've surprised me. I must say though, I was shocked that you would write on _Chappy_ merchandise, Ichigo. I did not take you to be a fan, and from this article, it sounds like you even own some of these products yourself, am I right?"

"Umm…err…you see…" Ichigo muttered, beads of sweat beginning to form on his face. He pulled at the collar of his shirt nervously and looked away.

"It was me!" Rukia blurted out, causing all eyes to turn to her. "I mean," she continued. "I gave him the idea…And I told him about the supplies…"

Ukitake raised a pure white eyebrow. "Is that so, Kuchiki?" he questioned, watching with some degree of amusement as perspiration began to form on her forehead as well.

The black-haired girl looked to Ichigo for aid, apparently, but the man just shrugged and looked as helpless as her. "Um, yes." she said finally.

"Oh." Ukitake said, purposely looking disappointed. "Because, I had wondered if, maybe, it had been _you_ who wrote the successful article. That would have looked great for an intern such as yourself…" he trailed off. "And, forgive me, but Ichigo here just doesn't seem like the type to write such an article. I suppose, though, that I'll just have to give him the credit-"

"Alright, alright!" Ichigo interrupted bluntly. "It wasn't me, okay? I told the Intern to write it." he admitted in apparent defeat. "I told her you'd given her the article; she didn't know it was supposed to be mine, so don't punish her for it or anything." he explained, and Ukitake had to admit that he was surprised the hot tempered man was willingly putting his own neck on the line to help the intern.

"Ichigo, what the hel-" Rukia had started, looking alarmed.

"I see." Ukitake cut her off with seeming calm. "I'm very disappointed in you, Ichigo. You kept this from me and you lied to an intern that is supposed to be under your responsibility."

"Sorr-" Ichigo started.

"But," Ukitake went on before he could apologize. "Seeing as the article was done in time and it was a definite success, it seems you have proved my initial decree wrong, by showing that Kuchiki was more than capable of doing this job. I am sorry I doubted you, Kuchiki," he nodded once to the shocked-looking girl. "And I'm sorry I didn't trust your own judgment, Ichigo."

The two before him gaped comically.

"I will make sure word gets out about your doing in this, Kuchiki." he said. "And if you continue like this, I think you could be saying goodbye to the internship and hello to a new job by next month." he smiled.

Rukia's face split into a wide-eyed smile, and she seemed to be trying to contain herself. "Really? Wow, that- that would be great, Sir!"

"So, let me get this straight," Ichigo interrupted, leaning forward in his chair and looking at Ukitake. "I'm not in trouble for this?"

"On the contrary!" Ukitake exclaimed laughingly. "What you did shows your good judgment and initiative, on top of displaying a great example of your carrying on the task of supervising the intern."

Ichigo stared back at his unblinking boss. "If we're not in trouble…Why'd you act all gloom-faced and dark before?"

"Did I?" Ukitake looked pensive. "I suppose I just wanted to tease you a bit." he smiled charmingly.

Ichigo and Rukia's mouths dropped open. The former then grimaced and looked like he was about to spray a few colorful words, but he was stopped by a hand clamping down on his mouth and muffling his complaints.

"Thank you for everything, Mr. Ukitake!" Rukia put on a prize-winning smile, looking unperturbed by the fact that she was holding out the orange-haired man. "We appreciate your time." she said, then yanked Ichigo up from the chair and started dragging him out of the office with her.

"Good day to you, Sir!" she called as she exited, a surprisingly willing Ichigo in tow.

In moments, the two were out and Ukitake was alone in his office again. He tried to decide whether the pair that had just left hated each other or where surprisingly close.

These things were hard to tell, but Ukitake vowed to observe them until he found out. It seemed he'd found his entertainment for the following weeks, he mused with a detached smile.

-x-

"Holy shit that was close." Rukia breathed a sigh of relief as she and Ichigo arrived on the fourth floor again with a ding of the elevator.

"Tell me about it. I thought we were screwed for sure." Ichigo said as the two stepped out together.

"Yeah." she agreed with a slight laugh -the type of relieved chuckle one gives when they know they narrowly escaped a dark fate-.

For a moment the two just stood there, the elevator long gone behind them, staring at each other with a look of almost complicity.

Then they both realized they had just gone over some unspoken limit of time without arguing or glaring at each other; quite suddenly Ichigo cleared his throat and Rukia coughed lightly into her closed hand. After a short awkward glance from the corner of their eyes, they wordlessly parted ways and walked off in opposite directions with rushed steps…Until Ichigo realized that his office was in the same direction in which Rukia was going, and was obliged to turn and started on the right direction.

Smooth.

-x-

Rukia hummed joyfully as she typed, completely unaware of a pair of eyes looking at her strangely. With mechanical movements, she checked one of the many articles given to her for revision that day, eliminating what she deemed unimportant and adding a quirky line here and there. Her lips where slightly tugged up in a tell-tale smile as she worked with an air of contentment that didn't match the atmosphere of the fourth floor of the Seretei building.

"Give me a warning if you're gonna start whistling soon."

Rukia finally snapped her head up away from her work, startled when the voice interrupted her private little world. "What are you talking about?" she questioned.

Kaien leaned against his side of the cubicle, giving her a wary look. "You're awfully cheerful today."

"I didn't realize that was a bad thing." she said evasively.

Kaien wasn't one to be evaded. "You're not telling me something." he declared.

Rukia looked up at him dubiously. "I don't know what gave you that idea."

"Oh no, I see what this is." Kaien said seriously. "You are hiding something from me, Rukia Kuchiki. It's because you don't trust me, I get it."

Rukia waited in silent amusement with folded arms as Kaien went on.

He waved his hands before him like he was dismissing her behavior. "But that's okay. Fine. Don't trust me. I don't care." he put a hand over his chest and with closed eyes lowered his head. "There is no reason for you to trust me; even though I thought we were friends, and I brought you coffee and doughnuts every week, and-"

"Alright, already!" Rukia interrupted, before Kaien brought out the tears. "If you _must_ know, Mr. Ukitake liked my article on home appliances." she couldn't help the grin that light her face as she spoke proudly. "I think I might not be an intern for long."

"Seriously? That's great!" Kaien exclaimed, beaming. "We should celebrate!"

"Thanks, but I have work to do." Rukia said, deciding she needed to use the high she'd gotten from the good feedback to finish as much work as she could today.

"Don't be such a downer." Kaien immediately protested. "It's just about time we have our lunch break anyway."

Rukia glanced at her wristwatch briefly and confirmed that Kaien was right. Maybe lunch wouldn't hurt… But still, if she could just finish two or three more articles…

"Come on." Kaien persuaded. "My treat."

"Let me grab my purse."

-x-

Ichigo's eyebrows furrowed in discontent as he read over some paperwork, when he heard light knocking on the door to his office.

"Come in." he called vaguely, not taking his eyes off the paper.

"Ichigo!" said a light and familiar cheery voice.

Ichigo looked up to meet the Seretei's advice columnist's large brown eyes. "Hey, Orihime." he greeted her.

The girl was smiling as usual, her long dark orange hair spilling casually over her shoulders as she took a few steps into his office. "I was wondering if you were busy." she said.

"Actually, I am." Ichigo motioned to the paper in his hands.

Orihime pouted instantly, like a kid who had been about to go play putside only to discover it was raining. "Aww, are you sure?" she asked like she genuinely hoped for a different answer.

"Ye-"

"Because I was thinking-" she went on without letting him finish. "-that it's been so long since we went out for lunch together, and with Uryu being around all the time, we hardly get a chance to speak anymore and with the wedding coming up-"

"Ah, I know," Ichigo cut in, knowing she'd trail on for hours if he didn't stop her. "But I'm busy today, maybe we can go for lunch tomorrow-"

Once again, Orihime didn't wait for him to continue. "But I'm going to have lunch with Uryu tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that and-"

"Okay." Ichigo put his hands up in a surrendering manner. "We can go today."

"Yay!" Orihime threw a fist in the air in celebration and beamed.

"So where are we going?" Ichigo asked, only mildly curious as he closed and locked (yes, he was paranoid, so what?) his office behind them. He and Orihime walked to the elevator without taking notice of the recently vacated cubicles right outside his office.

"Oh this sushi place just opened down the street, I've been dying to go, but Uryu is allergic to seafood and-"

"Sushi it is."

They went out and started down the long street of buildings and business establishments, the wind whipping about them making Ichigo glad he'd thought to grab his leather jacket before leaving. He noted vaguely that the sky was slowly turning gray with the promise of rain.

Hopefully it would hold up until they had returned.

Less than ten minutes later, the two orange-heads were walking into the establishment - decorated and furnished in a classic oriental style- about to ask for a seat for two when-

"Ichigo, look!" Orihime urged, her face braking into a wide smile as she waved at someone sitting on a table inside.

Ichigo followed her gaze and his eyes landed on a sight he didn't expect to see.

"How many?" asked the waitress that stood by him with a practiced smile.

"T-" he started to answer but was cut off as Orihime seized his wrist and started pulling him in the direction where she'd been waving.

"That's okay, we're with somebody!" she informed the waitress cheerfully, ignoring Ichigo's protests as she dragged him to the table.

Orihime was completely oblivious -either that or she was tremendously good at ignoring- to Ichigo's hushed pleas to stay head back to another table- _or another restaurant._ In the blink of an eye, Ichigo was silent and awkwardly standing before two pairs of eyes staring up at him with different emotions; one was of casual friendliness, the other of alarm.

The eyes were an opaque teal and a bluish violet; the alarm belonged to the latter.

"Hey," Ichigo waved uncomfortably.

"Hi! Do you mind if we join you?" Orihime asked brightly, not at all faced by petty feelings of awkwardness.

"Not at all. Grab a seat." Came the friendly response of one of the occupiers of the table. The other shot him a look that clearly yelled '_What are you doing?'_, but it went as unnoticed as Ichigo's.

Orihime wasted no time and pulled up a chair to sit at the table with her coworkers, and seeing no other option, Ichigo reluctantly did the same, having to move around the table to sit across from Orihime.

"Long time no see, Orihime." smiled Kaien.

Orihime returned the smile. "Too long." Orihime agreed. "How's Miyako?"

"Same as ever." Kaien replied, using a tone of playful dismay when speaking of his wife. Everyone knew how ridiculously happy the married couple was; all the females at the Seretei gushed about it -there had even been a page-long article about the wedding-, you just had to mention the Shibas and it would instantly make the nearest woman sigh and gain a dreamy look in her eye.

It was sickening, Ichigo thought.

Kaien and Orihime went on talking for a few moments in which Ichigo went unnoticed, same as the raven-haired woman currently sitting to his left.

Rukia was pretending to study the menu while Ichigo acted like he was interested in Kaien's anecdote of his wife burning toast the other day…

How did one burn toast, exactly? He wondered vaguely when the conversation was cut off.

"And who are you?" Orihime asked suddenly, looking at the up-til-then unnoticed Rukia.

"Oh, my bad, I forgot to introduce you guys." Kaien slapped his forehead lightly. "Orihime, this is Rukia."

"Nice to meet you." Rukia said automatically with a nod towards the orange-haired girl.

"It's great to meet you too, Rukia." replied the other girl cheerfully. "You're new at Seretei, aren't you?"

Rukia nodded once. "I'm an intern."

Ichigo looked at Rukia and saw immediately that, though she tried to disguise it, she wasn't too happy about admitting her current position.

"Now don't be modest, Rukia." Kaien cut in. "From what you tell me, you won't be an intern much longer, isn't that right, Kurosaki?"

It took Ichigo a moment to realize he was being spoken to, and everyone was by then looking at him. "Uh, sure."

"That's good, Rukia!" declared Orihime. "Do you like Seretei so far?"

"Ah, I do." Rukia smiled. "Save for some…defects."

Ichigo didn't know if he was being paranoid, but he could have sworn the little devil had glanced at him when she said 'defects'.

No one else seemed to notice, and the conversation between Kaien and Orihime flowed fast and easy. He already knew Orihime to be a big talker, and apparently Kaien wasn't too far behind, because between the two of them, it was nearly impossible for anyone else to get a word in.

A while after ordering their food and still no lull in Orihime and Kaien's conversation -which had apparently gone to the subject of odd dreams, including some vivid illustrations from both parties- Ichigo, being the incredibly nice guy that he was, decided to attempt to strike a conversation with the very girl he normally avoided, despite his better judgement.

"So," he leaned slightly towards Rukia, just enough that she'd know he was talking to her, not enough to actually be considered close to her. "How are those articles coming along?"

Rukia, who had been smiling and pretending to be interested in Orihime's description of the seven evil dwarfs in her dream -which had sported fangs-, dropped the smile and leaned towards him in the same way he had. "You're not my supervisor during lunch break." she spoke lowly without looking away from the other two people, like she was doing it in secret. "None of your business."

And that had been the end of that attempt at conversation.

-x-

Rukia was surprised when dinner arrived and Orihime and Kaien still managed to keep their conversation going almost without pause.

She was more surprised that Orihime somehow did this without ever seeming vulgar, whereas Kaien obviously had no problems against speaking with his mouth absurdly full. Throughout it all, she listened in quiet amusement to their antics.

Halfway through the meal, Orihime suddenly gasped loud enough to call the attention of everyone on the table.

"What?" Ichigo asked, chopsticks holding a sushi roll halfway to his mouth.

"I forgot!" Orihime exclaimed, simultaneously standing from her chair. "I was supposed to feed Quincy!"

"Her boyfriend's cat." Ichigo who explained at Rukia and Kaien's dumbfounded looks.

"I'm sorry, I have to go now-" she started frantically picking up her purse, rummaging through its contents in a hurry. "I'll leave you the money to pay for my-"

"Leave it." Ichigo stopped her. "I got it."

"Oh, thank you Ichigo!" she said and started to leave.

"Hey Orihime," Kaien called after her before she got too far. "Where'd you say your boyfriend lived?"

"Right next to the Karakura Hospital-"

"Across town?" Kaien started to get up. "Come on, I'll give you a ride." he said to the orange-haired girl. "I wanna stop by Miyako's workplace anyhow; it's on the way." he started to go after her on the way out, then paused to look back at Ichigo and Rukia. "You two don't mind being left alone, right?"

Ichigo didn't react, but Rukia could read the double meaning in Kaien's words clearly; she shot him a dark glare.

Kaien chuckled. "Just make sure you get back to work at some point."

At this, Ichigo could no longer remain oblivious. "You're overstepping your place, Shiba." he growled menacingly.

Kaien was unfazed; he shot Rukia a wink before heading out after Orihime.

And just like that Ichigo and Rukia were left alone.

They sat in awkward silence for a long moment, looking from the ceiling to each other and back at their half empty plates of food.

"I'm not hungry anymore." Rukia declared when the awkwardness became too much. She pushed her plate away from her for effect.

Ichigo let out what sounded like a relieved sigh. "Me either. Check please." he called to the passing waiter.

A few minutes later, the two started to head out…

Except, they didn't get further than the entrance of the restaurant, as the two looked at the outside with deep set frowns.

It was raining.

No, that was putting it mildly. It was _pouring_ cats and dogs out there. Sheets of rain wavered and soaked the street and the cars lining the sidewalk.

"You don't happen to have an umbrella beside that stick up your-"

"_No._" Ichigo snapped before she could finish. "So I hope you don't mind getting your hair wet." he said as he started to step towards the flood.

Only to be pulled back by the back of his jacket by her. "I am not going out in that."

Ichigo didn't even hesitate. "Fine, but I'm not signing in for you if that's what you're asking." Then he started out again…

And Rukia yanked him back once more. "You can't just leave me here. Don't you have a car?"

"Yes." Ichigo turned to look at her. "It's up the street on the Seretei parking lot."

Rukia frowned in annoyance. "How are we supposed to get past the Great Flood?" she motioned to the outside.

"I don't know about you, but I'm not waiting for it to pass. Good luck to you." he started out again, but really, by this time he should have expected the forceful pull that nearly ripped his jacket off.

"Okay, that's getting really annoying!"

Rukia ignored him and looked pensive. "Maybe if we wait a few minutes it'll ease up."

As if on cue, a bolt of lightning lit the gray sky with boisterous thunder.

"Right." Ichigo said sarcastically. "Call me when it does."

This time, Rukia didn't stop him as he started out.

She stared for a moment as he went out into the rain. Her mind whirled with the options; stay in the restaurant and stay dry -down side: she'd get busted for being late from her already _early_ lunch break-, or run up the street, get soaked, but get to work on time?

After the split second it took her to make the decision, she bolted out of the restaurant and caught up to Ichigo, who had only gotten about as far as two steps.

The moment she went out, she was soaked through almost instantly, the furious wind whipping about her. She tried going further than just a few steps, but it was hard just to look up and see where she was going. The rain fell on her face and into her eyes if she didn't keep her head low; she couldn't look in front of her!

She stopped, not knowing where she was going, and about to turn to Ichigo when she saw that he wasn't beside her. Before she could panic, a hand shot out from seemingly nowhere and pulled her into blessed dryness.

Out of mere reflex, Rukia's own tiny fist shot out and connected with flesh -_hard._

"Ow! What the hell?" Ichigo shrieked, taking a hand up to his reddening cheek.

"Oh." Rukia said, seeing that it had just been Ichigo, no serial killers or rapists to be worried about. "It was just you."

Ichigo glared at her. "You could at least apologize."

Rukia rolled her eyes, but said anyway, "Sorry."

She took a moment to inspect her surroundings; she and Ichigo were wedged in an alley between a couple of buildings. Their side entrances had makeshift boards acting as roofs for the torrential rain.

Rukia's hair was matted to her face and neck and dripping water; her drenched clothes stuck to her body and made her shiver. "Great idea, by the way. Going out into this." Rukia muttered sourly, motioning to the weather as she wrapped her arms around herself for warmth.

"No one made you go along with it." Ichigo scoffed, water dripping from his orange spikes unto his pronounced scowl.

They stood there like that for a moment, the sound of the rain crashing against the floor and the louder clang of it hitting a nearby dumpster filling the silence. An occasional thunder roared as well.

"Now what?" Rukia asked up.

Ichigo responded by settling down on the ground and resting his back against the side of the building. "Now we wait."

Rukia glared down at him. "Says mister 'I don't care about a little rain; I'm going to work like a good little soldier!'"

Ichigo shot her a glare but otherwise didn't respond. Not seeing any other options, Rukia flopped down beside him, a sour look on her face. She lifted her knees and wrapped her arms around them, again, looking to escape the cold November winds.

"We could have at least waited it out in a nice restaurant." she complained.

"Too late for that. They wouldn't let us in now, anyway." Ichigo said, referring to their soaked clothes.

The rain didn't look like it had any intention of letting up anytime soon.

Rukia let her mind wonder at the irony of things for a moment; of all the people to get stuck with during a storm, it had to be _him._

Suddenly, she let out a humorless laugh. Ichigo eyed her questioningly and she said, "This is like a flash of déjà vu."

When he didn't seem to understand, she elaborated. "You and me, stuck in a tiny space. Except we've upgraded from a closet to an alley. Or downgraded, depending on how you look at it."

"The closet was dry." he said thoughtfully, as if he was really thinking about it.

"So was the restaurant." Rukia added.

Ichigo seemed to consider it, then said nothing. Rukia assumed this to mean he was conceding her point, for once.

"Who would have thought we'd end up on the same spot…Figuratively speaking." she muttered, more to herself than to him. She rested her chin on her knees and let looked at nothing in particular.

"Guess I'm just destined to get stuck with you." Ichigo responded with a light scoff.

Rukia raised an eyebrow without looking at him. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

To her surprise, he looked at her then. She felt his amber gaze on her, like he was examining her…More like he was trying to decide if it _was_ a bad thing or not.

"It wasn't." he said, finally.

Rukia raised her face to look at him, shocked. "It wasn't?" she repeated incredulously, but of course Ichigo was already looking away like he hadn't said anything. "You sure acted like it." she said with a grimace.

Ichigo continued to look away, but he reached a hand up to scratch the back of his head then. "Yeah…sorry about that." he muttered gruffly.

Rukia had to blink. "I'm sorry, did I hear right? Did Ichigo Kurosaki just _apologize_?" She saw his scowl get deeper and couldn't resist the chuckle that escaped her. "Do you mind repeating that?"

"Fine, I was a jerk; happy now?" he practically growled, finally turning to look at her with an almost comical scowl.

"Surprisingly so." Rukia answered, a smirk playing across her features.

She waited until they had looked away from each other to speak again. "What I want to know is _why."_

Ichigo turned to her, questioning.

"Why did you act like that? And I don't mean the pretending not to know me part." She quickly added before he could use the excuse of 'no relationships at work'. "I mean the rest of it; being a jerk and a grouch and all that. You still act like it never happened." she explained as neutrally as possible. Even then, there was the tiniest note of disappointment when she said the last part.

For a moment, Ichigo didn't say anything and she thought he was going to resort to ignoring her. But then he sighed. "I don't know. I was weirded out, I guess."

"By…?" she kept looking at him, curiously, while he avoided her gaze.

"By seeing you again so soon. I mean, it was just _two days_ after…it happened." he said, never saying 'kiss' out loud.

"It's not a bad word you know. You can say 'kiss'." she told him, watching with some enjoyment as his face went from neutrally scowling to shocked and flustered. "Or 'French kiss', or 'tongue', 'making out'-" she started listing, just for the heck it.

Ichigo's reaction was priceless. His eyes nearly jumped out of his skull and his ears turned pink. "Alright, I get it! You don't have to be so graphic about it." he slumped back against the wall looking like an annoyed teenager.

Rukia laughed. "You act like we did something wrong. I mean, it's not like we had sex. It was just a kiss; we're both adults." she said calmly.

Ichigo's cheeks continued to change to a darker pink.

"That isn't something you do often, is it? Kiss strangers?" Rukia asked, though she could tell by his earlier reactions what the answer was.

"Do _you?_" he shot back instead.

"I was at a party hiding in a closet. You have to ask?" was her response.

"Fair enough." said Ichigo.

They sat in silence for a few moments, before Rukia broke it again.

"Ichigo?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you really think we'd never see each other after that?" she didn't need to expand on what 'that' was.

Ichigo looked down at her and met her eyes. "I'm…not sure." he said, an unreadable look on his face. "I mean, the chances were so slim…"

"...Still…" Rukia looked at him. She didn't know if it was the somewhat similar situation, but for that moment she didn't see him as her irritating supervisor, and she was suddenly looking at the handsome masked man she had met in a closet. His amber eyes held an almost soft look in them, maybe it was just caused by the rain matting his hair down, which made him look, dare she think it? Almost cute…

Her eyes involuntarily trailed down to his lips. The lips she had -consciously or not- avoided looking at ever since knowing him as her superior. They looked as soft and inviting as they had that night; and she knew what they would feel like against her own. _Like they were meant to be against each other…_

_Stop!_ Mental alarms went off in her head and she snapped her eyes away from him, focusing instead on the wall opposite her.

"I guess it really is better if we pretend it never happened." she said, very conscious that Ichigo's eyes were still on her.

She almost turned back to him to see what his reaction was; she could sense hesitation coming from him…

"Yeah." he agreed at last.

Rukia wrapped her arms around her knees again and looked upwards, as if in thought. "But we don't have to be so cold to each other." she started. "I mean, from what I remember, you were actually halfway decent when I met you."

At that, he raised an eyebrow. "And what exactly was I afterwards?"

"An ass." she didn't miss a beat. Rukia looked up at him with a smirk. "What I'm saying is that there's no reason for us not to be friends. There's no reason to feel weird about that. Attractive people can be friends."

He looked at her with a quirked eyebrow. "Who said I find you attractive?"

"I find you attractive." she said bluntly. "Doesn't mean I have to _be_ attracted to you. In fact, I find you ill-mannered and irritating." she said casually.

Ichigo blinked. "So you're saying want us to be friends?"

"I'm saying, why not?" she looked at him, waiting for some kind of refusal or complaint. None came.

After all, she reasoned, when they had first met they'd talked for hours. Why couldn't they get along now? She knew Ichigo had kept their contact minimized to as scarce as possible for fear that their first meeting's ending would come back to haunt him at work, but like she'd said. They were both adults. It was silly to get so squirmish over a silly kiss in a party. What were they, in high school?

"Unless you're too damn lustful for me and can't handle being 'just friends'." Rukia mock, just for the sake of teasing.

"Like hell I'd be." Ichigo scoffed. "Okay." he said after a moment. "Friends then." he nodded, as if getting used to the new concept.

After that, the two sat back against the wall; the rain, wind, thunder and lightning a backdrop to a newly comfortable silence.

"Oh and another thing." Rukia spoke up, like an afterthought. Ichigo waited for her to continue. "Friends don't call their friends 'intern'."

"What would you prefer then? Shortie? Midget? Just tell me, I have a vast array of-"

She punched him lightly on the arm. " '_Rukia_' is fine." she said pointedly.

"Rukia it is then."

She realized it was the first time he actually said her first name alone casually. She vaguely noted that she liked the way it sounded on his mouth.

Maybe the friendship thing could work after all...

* * *

**A/N: I liked this chapter. Don't know why I just did xD Took me a while, though. I suffered from a little writer's block halfway through it (i almost considered dropping the story...but i didn't of course :P) But it's done and I'm happy with it. **

**Now that Ichigo and Rukia have gotten over their squeamishness over each other, they have accepted to be friends. But they'll soon find it can be pretty tough to be friends with someone you made out with...especially if you can't help being attracted to that someone ;) Good chapters are up ahead!**

**To those lovely people who reviewed:  
**

**AwesomeAnimeStarIchiRuki**

**MN**

**Sa Rart**

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**M.O.N.S.T.E.R. EATS. .POCKY.**

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**Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky**

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******Thank you guys a lot! Your reviews keep me going when the writer's block tells me to stop xD **

******I saw some people asking when is the loving gonna start: Patience. All in good time. But worry not, now that they're friends, feelings (and sexual tension) will develop faster!**

******To those who asked if there will be a love triangle: No. Not with Kaien, or with Orihime, or with Renji, or any other character that appears in the story. This is strictly IchiRuki. Leave the triangle angst for another fic! lol**

******Oh and, kudos to anyone who caught the reference of Ichigo's: "Like hell I'd be." (from the recent manga) ^.^**

******Ciao for now! Hope you enjoyed :D  
**


	6. What Friends are For

"ACHOO!"

Papers and loose sticky notes flew from the short and unexpected wind produced by the powerful sneeze, before settling back into scattered positions on Ichigo's desk.

Said man sniffed loudly in annoyance, then redirected his attention back to the computer and continued typing. He wrote away for another few moments before stopping, and leaning forward in his seat as he opened a file on the computer and began scrolling carefully through its contents. On another window, he opened a search on the matter of what he was reading, and after a few tries he found an interesting document. He wasted no time and jumped straight to examining it with the scrutiny of a reporter, names immediately jumping out at him; both familiar and unknown. Two of them in particular peaked his interest and he started to click on something when-

"Hey, I-"

"GET OUT!"

He nearly fell out of his chair as he shouted and jumped back from the screen, somehow managing to click all the windows closed, leaving only the desktop background of a generic palm beach staring back.

There was silence after the scream as the person at the door blinked and the startled orange-haired guy got a look at the petite raven-head.

"Oh. It's you." he relaxed back into his chair.

Rukia on the other hand didn't look too happy about the news. "Good morning to you too." she said sarcastically.

"I thought it was someone else." Ichigo defended, starting to turn back to the monitor as Rukia started walking into the office. "Close the door." he said without looking at her before she came in any further.

"Whatever you say...Jumpy." Rukia said as she did.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked when she came to stand over him without saying anything.

"Just came to give you a little something on behalf of my fellow coworkers." she answered vaguely, before producing something she had been keeping behind her back and tossing it at him.

In a good demonstration of his reflexes, Ichigo caught the cylindrical object and read over the seal with furrowing eyebrows. "What-"

"They're cold pills." Rukia explained unnecessarily, in her opinion. Ichigo started to open his mouth, but anticipating his protests, she swiftly cut him off. "Yes, you _do_ need them."

"Do not." he replied, starting to shove the container back at her.

"The entirety of the fourth floor begs to differ." Rukia said, and seeing his confused expression the corner of her mouth lifted in a smug smirk. "Did you know the sound of your sneezing travels throughout the entire fourth floor?"

Ichigo kept on his scowl, trying to decide whether or not what she said was actually true.

"Do us all a favor and take a couple of those, so we aren't distracted by the sound of your exploding mucus." Rukia said before he could once again protest. "Better yet, take the rest of the day off. You've been sick for a week now, I'm sure Ukitake won't mind."

"I'm sure he wouldn't. But some of us have work to do." Ichigo replied, clicking open a document to get his point across.

"You've worked plenty. We can handle a day without you, Ichigo." Rukia said, and beneath her teasing edge, Ichigo was already learning to recognize the disguised hints of concern.

"I'll be fine. If I went home I'd just do the same thing I do here, at least I can punch some hours in this way."

Rukia rolled her eyes and Ichigo thought he heard her mumble something that sounded like "workaholic" under her breath.

"Now, if you don't mind." Ichigo gestured to the door and to the open document on his computer, trying to get the message across wordlessly.

"Fine." Rukia understood, and she raised her hands in apparent defeat. "I'll leave if you take the pills." she bargained.

Ichigo grimaced and resisted the urge to groan. Rukia merely raised her eyebrows and looked at him as if to say, _'Come on, how much does it take?'_

Releasing a sharp breath, Ichigo reluctantly twisted the container open and shook out a couple of pills onto his palm and immediately to his mouth, swallowing them in one gulp without even a glass of water.

"Happy?" he looked at Rukia, who grinned.

"Very. Was that so hard?"

"Get out." Ichigo deadpanned. The raven-head let out a chuckle before exiting and closing the door behind her.

Ichigo shook his head, for a moment wondering at his new, strange relationship with that woman. Now that they had decided they were on 'friend' terms, she had started going in and out of his office freely, which Ichigo had thought annoyed him at first, but he soon found that her short visits usually left him in a slightly better mood…Or a worse one. Depending on the case.

Still, he was surprised at how quickly she had adjusted herself to the 'friendship' term. That girl sure had a few surprises up her sleeve.

Then he quickly pushed away all his thoughts of Rukia and looked back at the computer, where he had opened an old document to pretend he was working on it. After looking back to check that his door was closed and no one was coming in, he started clicking open the page he'd been looking at before.

He brought out a notepad and a pen and started writing down.

Two important names came up; _Sosuke Aizen_ and _Gin Ichimaru._

_I found the link. I'm getting closer…_

-x-

Rukia exited Ichigo's office with a slight shake of her head. Sometimes it was hard to believe how stubborn the idiot was. Honestly, most people faked being sick to skip work; not the other way around.

But then again, that was one of the things she'd started to admire about Ichigo. If nothing else, the guy definitely had a passion for what he did. And from what she heard, and the bits she'd read, he was damn good at it too.

"Hey, Rukia!" called a blonde-haired woman from her cubicle when she walked past.

"Hi, Rangiku." Rukia smiled back, waving at the woman before continuing on her way to the elevator, waving to a few other people she recognized on the way.

Things were looking up for Rukia.

It seemed ever since last week, all had gone uphill. She wasn't sure if it was the fact that she'd gotten one published article or that she was in a better mood in general…But all of a sudden, her internship seemed to be going off wonderful.

Maybe it was since she and Ichigo finally became friends, or a loose interpretation of the word; they still argued and bickered frequently and she still thought he was a grouch if she ever saw one, but it seemed ever since reaching an understanding, they were slowly coming to terms with themselves. Rukia was quickly learning that despite his unfriendly demeanor, behind his scowl Ichigo was actually a pretty nice guy. You just had to learn to see _past _his hostile words and perpetually furrowed eyebrows.

For example, last Friday, when he had come out of his office for a minute…

"_Here." _

_Rukia nearly jumped up as the gruff voice spoke above her and dropped a small folder on her small cubicle desk._

"_Wha-?" _

_She didn't get a chance to finish her questioning as she looked into the contents of the folder and was surprised to recognized one of the old articles she'd written for recommendation. It had red markings -underlined and circled phrases, with notes at the margins- all through it in a handwriting she didn't immediately recognize._

"_Your style is good but you need to work on your grammar. I spotted about four run-ons in the first two paragraphs alone."_

_With shock, Rukia realized that Ichigo had actually read and revised her work- and was giving her constructive criticism. _

The trick is, Ichigo won't come straight out and tell you he's doing something nice, in fact, he'll do everything in his power to make it seem like he's not. Rukia was starting to see that, and it actually made it curious. This guy seemed to have more layers to him than she thought.

_I think the guy I me on Halloween may actually be there, buried somewhere under that scowl._

She shook herself out of her thoughts the moment she noticed herself begin to smile unconsciously at memories she shouldn't be straying to.

But all in all, Rukia Kuchiki could say she was doing well.

"So you're digging the internship thing?" The redheaded tattooed man sitting across from her that could be mistaken for a thug if not for his suit asked, glaring down at his plate as he struggled to get the spaghetti around his fork.

"Mhmm." Rukia nodded through a mouthful of pasta, a half hour after having left Seretei for lunch break and met her childhood friend. "It's going better than I expected." she said after swallowing.

"I thought you said you hated it." Renji said, looking confused and frustrated at the same time as he couldn't properly gather his food. "The whole being an intern thing. And your boss, or supervisor or whatever…Wasn't he a pain in the ass?"

"Ichigo." Rukia supplied him the name yet again. "And yes, he was." she confirmed, starting to take more food. "But not anymore."

"He get fired or something?" Renji asked, looking up from his plate after having nearly dipped his head in to get close to the fork before the contents spilled away from his reach.

Rukia didn't notice the redhead's current comical position, her eyes unfocused as she started thinking. "No. We're on good terms now. He's even helping me with my writing."

"Oh." Renji mumbled approvingly. "Well good for you. When do you think you'll be off the internship and on a steady paycheck?"

Rukia's expression fell ever so slightly but she was quick to cover it, too quick for the redhead struggling with his food to notice the slip. "Not too long from now, I think. It's been a month already. I just…" she didn't finish her thought as her gaze finally focused back on the man before her.

She let out a laugh as she saw Renji biting through a glob of spaghetti , his chin practically inside the plate and his fork discarded in uselessness and frustration.

"Okay." she said between chuckles. "That's the last time we take you out for Italian."

-x-

The small apartment was quiet and shut off from the noisy sirens and traffic outside that night.

Inside, its habitant sat on the couch in the living area with a glass of milk, a newspaper and a red pen.

Rukia settled herself with her legs crossed and the glass of milk on the coffee table, before opening up the newspaper to the job section, pen in hand, and began reading.

Beside the milk on the coffee table, torn open envelopes contained the bills for that month.

Rukia hadn't mentioned to Renji, or anyone, but the fact is that one month without a salary was coming tougher than she expected. She had some saved money from working through college, but it wouldn't sustain her for long; and the truth was, she had no idea when she'd actually be getting a steady spot on Seretei.

With those thoughts in mind, Rukia began circling adds.

-x-

When the alarm clock went off at his bedside table that morning, Ichigo let out a long groan.

Not because of the usual reason people become irritated with their alarm clocks, which would be that it wakes them up from blesses slumber; in Ichigo's case, he groaned because the alarm went off and he hadn't shut an eye all night.

He lazily slapped his hand on the snooze button and lay still for a moment, looking at the ceiling, surrounded by used tissues all over the bed.

He had a long day ahead of him.

As if on cue, his eyes squeezed shut, his mouth opened and…

"ACHOO!"

Great.

"Good morning, Mr. Kurosaki." greeted pleasantly the blonde girl sitting at the reception desk that morning.

Ichigo didn't bother acknowledging her or any of the other people who greeted him as they passed him by on the way to the office that morning. He simply kept his head low, a tissue gripped tightly in his hand and a jar of cold pills tucked safely in the pocket of his jacket.

"Well, look who's late for once." he heard a voice say just as he was about to reach his office. "Morning, Ichigo." Rukia greeted from her cubicle.

Like everyone else that morning, Ichigo ignored her, and proceeded to go in his office and slam the door behind him.

"What crawled up his ass?" The dark-haired Kaien wondered as he witnessed the scene of his grumpy coworker being…extra grumpy.

Rukia shrugged in response, genuinely not knowing what could have merited such a response. Kaien quickly dismissed it, not noticing the way the female's eyebrows furrowed and she stared at the closed door for a few extra moments before returning to her work.

In his office, Ichigo sank to his chair, not even bothering to take his jacket off first. He pulled out the medicine jar and opened it, taking it directly to his mouth and shaking out to -or maybe three- of the pills and swallowing forcibly.

The term 'feeling like crap' did not begin to cover how Ichigo was feeling. He felt like his body weighed a ton, his nose was runny and red -probably peeling from all the times he'd wiped it with the surprisingly harsh tissue-, he kept sneezing every two minutes, and to top it all off, he hadn't slept.

Despite all that, he kept going on.

_I'm too close now…I can't loose the lead because of a stupid cold._

With those thoughts, he got on starting the computer, rubbing his temples as the whirring of the machine indicated its coming to life…And added to the pounding in his head.

Ichigo ignored his complaining body and started working on opening files and documents, and running searches, writing down all the important details. Ichigo was going to proof that his skills as a reporter were not in vain.

He worked like that for almost an hour before being interrupted by the sound of ringing.

After giving a startled jump which did _nothing_ for his ever-increasing headache, he grabbed the phone from his pocket and picked up.

"_Ichigo." _spoke a deep voice on the other end.

"Chad." he said, recognizing the voice immediately. After a flickering glance to the door, Ichigo lowered his voice and spoke into the receiver. "What do you have?"

"_I couldn't get much. After the Chief removed me from the case he's been keeping things pretty hushed up."_ Chad explained. _"But I was able to get some things on Ichimaru."_

Ichigo felt like letting out a victory cry but refrained from making any unnecessary noise, checking once more to make sure no one was coming into the office before speaking back. "Alright, well I've been able to dig up something that might connect him to Aizen, but I need more solid info. I'll send you the links tonight."

"_Ok."_ Chad said simply. "_I'll try to see if I can find anything else."_

"Great. Call me when you do." Ichigo said, starting to take the phone away before, "And Chad?"

"_Hm?"_

"Thanks man."

He heard a grunt in response before the call was ended.

Feeling more triumphant, Ichigo went back to his computer when he noticed a problem. He couldn't read anything that was on the screen. He blinked hurriedly and rubbed at his eyes, but it was no use. His vision had gone blurry.

"_Damn it, fucking piece of-"_ he started cussing, just before he heard the door to his office opening.

The last thing he wanted was a visit from his boss or _anyone_ at that moment.

"Ichigo," Rukia started to say, and he was somewhat relieved, and somewhat peeved that it was her.

"What do you want?" he asked sharply. He hadn't meant to sound like such a jerk…it just came out that way.

Rukia, however, didn't seem taken aback by his rudeness. She didn't even comment on it as she usually did. "Are you okay?"

Her question, not containing a drop of irony or mockery took him slightly by surprise.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just have to get this done, okay? So please leave." he said shortly, trying to ignore the fact that he couldn't actually _see_ what he was looking to get done.

"Look at me." Rukia instructed, her voice suddenly hard. It wasn't the tone she used to argue with him; it was a tone that left no room for discussion.

And not really in the mood to discuss anyway, Ichigo did as she said…As much as he could, since all he saw was a foggy version of black hair, fair skin, and a pair of blue-violet dots.

"You're going home." Rukia stated after looking at him for three seconds.

"What? What are you talking about? Go back to work." he said, turning to his computer and willing his eyes to focus properly.

"Ichigo, you look like you haven't slept at all and a train ran over you last night." Rukia informed him. "You're in no condition to be here."

Ichigo would have thought it almost comical how her voice suddenly took on a motherly sort of commanding tone, if he didn't find it so annoying.

"You're not my mother. If I say I'm well enough to be here, then I'm-"

_Slap!_

Ichigo's mouth dropped open as he felt the sudden sting on his cheek. "You…"

"I said you're going home. Grab your stuff."

And that ended that argument.

A few minutes later, Ichigo was walking after Rukia down to the parking lot, his vision still not sharp but having improved a bit. And he was scowling.

"Why are you still here?" he asked in irritation. Wasn't it enough for her that she got him to leave?

"I'm making sure you don't sneak back in to work." she said simply, like it was the most logical thing in the world.

Ichigo scoffed, but otherwise said nothing and glared into space.

Once they'd made it to his car, and he started opening the door to the driver's seat, he turned to look at his dark-haired companion.

"I'm already here. You can go back now." Ichigo said not-so-subtly. Rukia looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you sure you're in any condition to drive?"

Ichigo scoffed again, this time acting like the very suggestion of what she said was ridiculous. "Of course I am. Don't be stupid." With that, he climbed into the driver's seat and started the car.

He sat there for a few seemingly endless moment, his amber gaze glaring through the windshield and his hands' grip tight on the steering wheel, and he didn't move an inch the whole time.

He really wished he could see without feeling like a plastic bag had been shoved over his head. But most of all, he wished Rukia wasn't there, just waiting for him to say it.

"_Godammit,"_ he growled under his breath before angrily getting out of the car and facing Rukia.

Said girl smiled and offered, almost smugly, "I'll drive you."

Ichigo, far too irritated to dwell on her goodwill at the moment, huffed as he made his way around to the passenger seat and slammed the door closed. Rukia climbed in with much more finesse and she started fixing the mirrors before giving Ichigo a look.

"Not.." he said with his eyes focused on glaring through the windshield.

Rukia bit back a grin and started driving wordlessly out of the building's lot.

The driver waited about a minute to ask the current passenger for the directions to his house. Said man muttered them unhappily and then reclined his head back and shut his eyes. Rukia watched him out of the corner of his eye, fully aware that he was much more sick than he let on, her thoughts confirmed then. She almost laughed when she saw that even as he relaxed back and closed his eyes, his eyebrows remained deeply furrowed.

"Hey Rukia," Ichigo spoke up after a period of silence except for the muffled sounds of traffic outside.

"Hmm?" she flickered her gaze over for a moment to see that he had straightened up and opened his eyes. "What's the matter? Tired of glaring at the inside of your eyelids?" she snickered, her eyes ahead as she turned the wheel to make a turn.

She felt Ichigo's glare on her now without needing to look. "It just doesn't have the same effect as on people, right? Shame." she smirked.

After muttering something under his breath, Ichigo said, "How are you planning on getting back to work?" he questioned, due to the fact that it was _his_ car she was driving, to _his_ house; away from Seretei.

Rukia shrugged and kept her eyes on the road. "I'll ask a friend to pick me up and bring me over."

"You have friends?" Ichigo shot at her, with a theatrically raised eyebrow and a mockingly surprised tone.

Score one for Ichigo.

Rukia decided to let him have that one; at least he was feeling well enough to banter a bit. They started to lull back into silence and she decided to fill it with music. When she reached to turn on the radio, she was surprised to hear rock music blaring off loudly from the speakers.

"Gah!" Ichigo wailed, his hands coming up to cover his ears and his face scrunching up.

"Err," Rukia hurriedly turned it down until it was just a small sound in the distance. "Sorry." she apologized sheepishly, seeing him pinch the bridge of his nose and breathe deeply.

Meanwhile, Ichigo tried to recover what brain tissue had survived the explosion in his head thanks to that damn music. "Nevermind." he grumbled through the flared up pain.

Rukia looked at him meekly before saying, "I didn't have you pinned as a rocker, though."

It was faint, but she thought she saw the corner of his mouth lift slightly. "Oh yeah? What did you expect? Classical?"

Rukia grinned at him. "Actually I figured you were just the type of guy to listen to the news on the radio." Then she added, "And there's nothing wrong with classical music."

"What? You play or something?" Ichigo asked peeping at her, suddenly curious.

"Does it matter to you?" she quirked an eyebrow.

"Not particularly." He shrugged nonchalantly.

"Then don't ask."

Someone somewhere slapped their knee and yelled _'burn!'_.

Ichigo fumed in his seat and muttered about "stupid little creeps".

It was about ten more minutes before Rukia pulled up at a street lined with one story houses, not particularly luxurious but well-cared for. It looked like the kind of place young newly weds would move into to start a family. Though, Rukia thought, Ichigo didn't seem particularly the type.

Then again, she wondered…He couldn't have been with anyone at the moment, considering his actions on Halloween night (then again, he _could_ be more of a player than she gave him credit for), but maybe he had plans for the future… Or _had_ had plans. She decided it was better not to ask.

"Well, here we are." She announced, stopping before the house number Ichigo had told her before. "Is this the right house?"

"Yeah." Ichigo confirmed, looking out the passenger window at the place. Rukia followed his gaze and they sat in silence, looking at the house for a few moments.

"Thanks for uh, driving me and all." Ichigo said awkwardly.

"Sure thing. Just don't make a habit of taking advantage of my kindness." Rukia responded, earning a stuttered "Wha-! I didn't-! Why you!" from Ichigo.

The orange-head gruffly opened the car door and climbed out -a bit too quickly apparently, because the moment he was on his feet his vision flashed and he felt lightheaded, making him stumble on his feet.

Rukia watched him with furrowed eyebrows. "You sure you're going to be okay?"

"Fine." Ichigo grumbled, moving towards his house.

Rukia glanced at her wristwatch quickly. _Renji won't be out to lunch for over an hour still…_

"Hey Ichigo," she called, getting out of the car and slamming the door closed. "I still have some time before anyone picks me up." She said, walking up the steps to the front door beside him. "I can come in for a minute and-"

"No way." Ichigo was instant to disagree. "Aren't you the one that told me to rest? I can't get any rest with _you_ in the house."

"I won't be a bother-" Rukia said, and seeing how Ichigo was opening his mouth to take a shot at that she hurriedly added, "It's just for a little bit until my friend gets off work; you won't even know I'm there."

Ichigo looked at her dubiously.

"Besides," Rukia quickly added. "I know a great family recipe that'll get rid of that cold like that." she snapped her fingers at the '_that'_ and smiled smugly up at him.

He still didn't look convinced, so she said, "Or you can suffer through that headache for the rest of the week. Your choice." she shrugged, starting to turn around and make as if to leave.

Five minutes later Ichigo was lying down on his couch with a wet cloth on his head while Rukia worked around his kitchen.

"You know," the raven-head currently standing on her tiptoes to reach the cupboard started. "You should really just go to bed. Isn't that more comfortable?"

"No." Ichigo replied flatly from the living room. "I'm not letting you run around my house unsupervised."

Rukia rolled her eyes almost audibly and went on throwing ingredients in a blender.

"What are you making anyway?" Ichigo asked, not looking but hearing the commotion.

"The recipe that will cure you."

"What's in it?" he asked more warily still.

"You don't need to know." was all she said, and Ichigo got a bad feeling in his stomach.

No one spoke after that and Ichigo allowed himself to take a nap while she finished.

By the time Rukia had finished, he was stretched out on the couch, one feet dangling off; the wet cloth was laying over his eyes with his arm over it and he was snoring softly.

Rukia paused only for a second to take in the sight before taking a seat on the very edge of the couch and shaking him awake.

"AH!" Ichigo yelled out after having mumbled incoherencies as she awoke him; when the cloth fell from his eyes and she saw her face inches away from his, he yelled out and backed into the corner of the couch as far as he could to get away from her…which wasn't much. The outburst was rewarded with a pang of pain in his head, which left him clutching it and grumbling while Rukia sat blinking.

"Okay drama queen," she held up a glass containing a suspiciously colored liquid. "Here you go. Drink up."

"Rukia," Ichigo started in what sounded like a diplomatic tone. The girl listened. "_What the hell is that?_"

"The family recipe." she answered, unruffled by the wild look in his eye.

"Are you trying to poison me?" Ichigo yelled out. "I ain't drinking that crap! Go flush it or something!" he crossed his arms in an 'x' shape in front of his face and glared disgustedly at the murky drink.

"Oh don't be such a baby." Rukia groaned. "You just have to take it all in one gulp." she shoved the glass in front of his face, allowing its scent to drift upwards…

"Oh God!" Ichigo covered his nose. "It smells like vomit!"

"Does not!" Rukia defended, her cheeks turning pink. Still, she dared to take a slight whiff of the concoction and hurriedly shoved it away from her face, though disguising her reaction. "It just has a strong smell because of the ingredients."

"What ingredients exactly?" Ichigo questioned. Rukia was smarter than that though.

"I'll tell you after you drink it."

"When hell freezes over!"

"Just one gulp!"

"Shoot me first!"

"You're being an idiot!"

"If I drink that I'll be a corpse!"

"Ichigo!"

"Rukia!"

They both glared at each other and a bolt of electricity seemed to pass through them where their eyes met.

Rukia let out a sigh. "I know it looks weird," she started in a reasoning voice. "But you'll feel better once you drink it."

Ichigo crossed his arms over his chest and glared stubbornly at the drink, though his pose slackened slightly from her tone.

"I promise." Rukia added, her eyes honest.

Ichigo suddenly noticed how close her face was to his, and the fact that they were in his house, alone, sitting together in a couch blared brightly with red lights. To top it all off, Rukia was giving him that soft convincing look, a small smile with big eyes, and leaning close to him…

"Okay gimme that!" he roughly snatched the glass from her hand, starling her and spilling a few drops of the contents. _Anything to get her away._ He thought with a gulp. He stared down at the drink for a few seconds and already felt his stomach begin protesting.

With a gloomy voice, he said, "Bottoms up." And downed the whole thing in two gulps, feeling the thick liquid burn its way down his throat. He made quite an array of faces.

"See that wasn't so bad." Rukia said casually, while Ichigo coughed and made 'ack' noises. "I'll get you some water to take that down." she offered sheepishly as he gave her a look while he grabbed his neck.

Rukia didn't sit down again as she offered him the glass of water, which Ichigo swallowed in a few gulps. Rukia stared at him for a moment and he began to sit up a little straighter, noticing that he was starting to feel the lightheadedness fading.

"Hey, thanks for…everything." Ichigo said after a moment of silence, feeling the need to at least be polite, considering all she'd done. "You didn't have to."

"No, I didn't." Rukia agreed, a little grin on her features. "But I did because I'm such a nice person."

He stared at her smug little smile for a moment. "Why _did_ you?" Ichigo asked seriously, honestly baffled that the woman had actually gone to such lengths to make sure he was okay.

Rukia seemed taken aback by the question only for a moment before blinking and giving Ichigo an actual smile.

" Because that's what friends are for."

Her quick and honest declaration took Ichigo by surprise and he could only stare at the smiling girl in wonder.

They both turned to look at the front door as the sound of a honk came from outside.

"That's my ride." Rukia said, starting towards the door. "I'll see you around, Ichigo."

"Yeah…" Ichigo said back, looking at her back thoughtfully. "See you around."

* * *

**A/N: Sooo…How long has it been since my last update? One month, two? I honestly don't know, but I apologize for the delay. I'm generally not a fast updater, but this was slow, even for me. And I wanted to say- I have a good excuse: WRITER'S BLOCK. From hell! Seriously, worst one I've ever gotten. Through most of January and December I abandoned all reading AND writing, fan fiction and otherwise. It was bad…Oddly enough, it was cured by the secondary cause of this delayed chapter: My internet stopped working.**

**Important note: This chapter may seem fillerish and shorter than usual, but it actually introduced a LOT of content and foreshadowing for future chapters. I think this is the chapter which contains the most important content up til now actually xD Some of it was fairly obvious, some was subtle, some of it REALLY subtle, so you may want to read closely. However, the peak of the chapter was Rukia's "That's what friends are for". They agreed to be friends last chapter, but this is when they are really starting to see what it is to be actual friends.**

**To my reviewers: ****_Chappygami _**(special thanks to you for showing me those stories that helped break the writer's block xD)**_, yuki chan, xcHiBii-RuKiiax, AnimeFanx3, hoshinairi, xwhitemoonx, MN _**_(_feel special again!^^ lol)**, _CosyInTheRocket, M.O.N.S.T.E.R. EATS. POCKY., reaper baby xp, Lunar, Yuyukawaii, jenaca, Nivek01 _**(hey, i know you from the Bleach Asylum! I'm TsukiHana37 :D)**, _theaCoi, Amaterasu Ai_, _AwesomeAnimeStarIchiRuki, Sa Rart, shnizlefritz, ali6220, xXBleachluverXx, Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky, leekdakay_** (lol i loved your review! haha yeah, i guess i'm famous now, i was starting to feel ignored XD)**, _09ice_ and _MeoNg_-thanks for the reviews! I'm glad to see people liking the story and being interested!^^ **

**I reinstate how much I love you guys, it honestly makes me happy to see people enjoying the story, and reading you tell me about it keeps me going! (I wouldn't have come out of that writer's block if not for those reviews which popped up unexpectedly from people asking about the story…you guys don't know how much it helps!) Also, I'm sorry I don't reply personally- it's not that I don't want to or that I don't read or care (trust me, I DO), it's just that I have a lot of messages to reply from different forums and networks and I get all caught up in it; time isn't enough. But I wanted to make sure you know that, trust me, those reviews make a BIG [note all caps] difference! (there is nothing like logging in and seeing review alerts for a happy heart^^)  
**

**And to the eloquent and surprisingly reliable _lisa_: Sweetie, you've reviewed chapters 3 and 5 now. Judging by that, I'd say you are reading my story consistently…Are you a masochist, or just misinformed? You know, if you dislike the story so much, it's as simple as a click away to exit and forget it forever, you don't need to punish yourself like this. Then again, since you keep coming back, I might start thinking you secretly like this story…One question though; not to insult your high judging capabilities, but I do wonder, how exactly did I make Rukia act like Orihime? I understand if you tell me she's OOC (you can't meet everyone's standards) but HOW is she like Orihime of all people? Which manga are you reading? [Leave me the answer on your next flame please….or better yet, sign in and send me a message, kay? Thanks, you're a doll]**


	7. Double Trouble

Rukia let out a sigh of exhausted relief as she saw the digital numbers on her computer screen mark 11:30am.

_Lunch break._

Without a moment's hesitance, she gracelessly dropped her head on her cluttered desk, not minding when her face landed on some papers that may or may not be important- too tired to do anything but allow her eyes to close and get some well-deserved rest.

The last two weeks had been mentally and physically draining for her; she couldn't remember the last time she felt so exhausted. And Rukia was used to working without rest- she had gone through college doing a double major -which meant double the work- _and_ working a job every weeknight. But now she felt like she might just be breaking her record- then again, maybe she was just getting old…

The fleeting thought was immediately discarded as impossible and she attributed the extra tiredness to emotional stress.

The reason for Rukia's exhaustion was that for the last two weeks she had been working eight hours on her internship at Seretei, and then going every night to work a part time shift as a waitress at a local restaurant. The job was awful; the people were moody and extremely choosy in their orders, and ready to snap at an innocent waitress if -God forbid- so much as a pickle was out of place in their hamburger. Rukia had to fight the urge to strangle a stranger almost every minute of her time in the restaurant, on top of trying to remember the orders, cleaning tables, and dealing with her boss. All that after a long day at Seretei.

And as if that wasn't enough, Ichigo had been insisting she write more articles that could be published on the paper, which he would always pass by Ukitake and gain her more and more points for that steady job -which was all fantastic, really; except that all the extra work meant that when she came home, sore and in a foul mood from her shift, instead of getting to sleep, she had to do _more _work and somehow find inspiration to come up with good articles that would get Ukitake's attention and approval.

Rukia barely had enough time to eat, let alone sleep. Which was why she had taken to bringing protein bars in her purse and devouring them quickly when she got hungry, and using her lunch hour to nap on her desk. Not exactly a comfortable practice, but it was all she could do to not collapse from sleep-deprivation before noon.

If she didn't get that job soon, she'd be in serious trouble.

"…Is she really sleeping?"

A voice spoke.

"I don't know; you check."

Said another. The voices sounded far off, distant to Rukia. As if they were speaking through a tunnel. She didn't bother trying to figure out what their words meant.

"Oi…Rukia."

Spoke a third voice.

"You don't think she could be dead, do you?"

Said the first voice. There was a moment of silence before…

"Maybe you should poke her. You know, just to check."

The second voice said; it was followed by hushed arguing and some nudging before…

Rukia felt something jab her arm. At first it was only a quick feeling, followed by silence, but then it was followed by another. And another, and another…

"She's not moving…Oi, Rukia!" One of the people said next to her, the jabs to her arm continuing with higher frequency.

Her peaceful rest was being rapidly shattered as the poking and voices went on, until finally, Rukia could take it no more and…

"WHAT?"

"Whoa! Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning." He said with his hands in front of him defensively.

Rukia groggily opened her eyes after sitting up and let her vision clear as three figures came into focus. Kaien's broad-shouldered outline stood out in front of the other two, slighter figures standing slightly to the background. Rukia immediately recognized the voluptuous blonde, Rangiku, and Orihime. All three were looking at her curiously.

Barely suppressing a yawn, Rukia addressed the bunch. "Hey Orihime, Rangiku…Kaien." she accompanied the last one with a light glare in his direction as she pointedly rubbed her poked arm.

"Morning, Sleeping Beauty." Kaien said cheerfully, ignoring her dark look.

Orihime and Rangiku wore identical smiles. "We thought you had passed out on us." Rangiku commented. Orihime nodded before speaking.

"Aren't you getting enough sleep at home? You know, a lot of times stress issues and bad moods are caused by lack of sleep -or insomnia-. You might want to talk to a doctor about your sleeping problems and start taking pills-" Orihime was cut off as Kaien took a step in front of her.

"Something the matter, Rukia?" he asked, looking at her without grinning now. He looked almost concerned. Rangiku and Orihime both looked at her, expecting an answer.

Rukia, who did not particularly feel like burdening her friends with her own personal troubles was silent for a moment as she thought of things to say… And was coming up pitifully empty.

"Not really, I just…" she started, stalling as she searched in her excuse bank for anything that would ward off any more questions. "Uh…"

"Oi, what is this? Social club?" A new voice, that she was surprised she could feel so relieved to hear, interrupted her fruitless struggling as everyone turned at the sound of it. "Get back to work already!"

The tall orange-haired man with a signature scowl appeared with his arms crossed over his chest and an imposing glare to his coworkers.

"Actually, I'm on lunch break." Kaien said non-chalantly.

"Me too!" chimed Orihime.

"Me-" Rangiku started to join in, when another voice interrupted.

"MATSUMOTO!"

Everyone cringed and the blonde woman froze as someone walked up behind her, his expression shadowed but his tone murderous.

"I told you to have the Hosho story on my desk _an hour ago!"_ The newest arrival growled, looking up to scowl at the blonde with an intensity that seemed unfit for his apparently youthful face.

"Uh, that's right!" Rangiku agreed, turning around to look at her boss with a nervous laugh. Despite his height -or lack thereof- Toshiro Hitsugaya was a force to be reckoned with when pissed off. And no one had quite the talent for doing exactly that like Rangiku.

"And could you tell me…_Why_, it's not there?" Hitsugaya said in a low, dangerous tone.

"I…" Rangiku smiled awkwardly before saying, "…Forgot?" she finished, and no sooner had she done so, did Hitsugaya's face turn five shades of red, veins beginning to throb visibly all over his forehead and neck. He was just opening his mouth to say something -or perhaps let out some steam, Rukia thought wistfully- when Rangiku interrupted. "But I'll have it there in an hour, I promise!" she hurried to assure him. "I won't let you down, Boss!"

"You better!" snapped Hitsugaya. "To your office, NOW!"

"Right away!" Rangiku started to rush away, the eyes of her coworkers all watching the spectacle. "…But first, I have to grab a quick lunch!"

"WHA-!" Hitsugaya looked about ready to blow.

From the distance and already at the elevators, Rangiku conjured up a sunny smile. "It'll be quick! I can't work on an empty stomach you know!" The elevator doors opened just then and as Rangiku stepped inside, she held them open for a moment to look back towards her boss. "Do you want me to bring you anything?" she offered in a chipper tone.

"NO!" Snapped the white-haired young man, and without further ado, Rangiku disappeared into the elevator.

Hitsugaya was left standing alone, rubbing the bridge of his nose slowly with his thumb and forefinger in an attempt to calm himself as everyone else watched.

"All of you back to work!" he barked, effectively removing all eyes from him in an instant. Rukia marveled momentarily at the fact that, despite being short almost two feet of Ichigo's height, Hitsugaya still had the same effect on those he worked with as the former man. And as the remaining people around him stayed as they were and were about to remind him that they were on their breaks, he snapped once more- "I don't want to hear it!"

"Well, you heard the boy." Ichigo said nonchalantly. "Scram." he looked at Kaien, Orihime and Rukia; then at Hitsugaya as he started to walk away. "Later Toshiro."

"It's _Hitsugaya _to you_!_"

Rukia momentarily wondered if Hitsugaya's hair had turned prematurely white due to being subjected to too much stress. It wouldn't surprise her if it had.

"So," Ichigo started once again. "If you're all on your lunch breaks; how about you go have lunch?" He suggested sarcastically.

"Hmph." Kaien muttered mock indignantly before placing a hand around Orihime's arm. "Come on, Orihime. We can tell when we're not wanted." he turned his nose up in an exaggerated gesture and pulled a confused-looking Orihime along with him away to the elevators.

Ichigo muttered some not-very-nice names under his breath before turning to Rukia. "Alright, so I talked to Ukitake again."

"Did he say anything about a job for me?" Rukia asked too quickly, letting the sudden hope show in her face.

"Sort of." Ichigo looked away for a moment then returned his eyes to her now wary face. "He said that he's sure he wants to give you the job."

"…But?" Rukia asked, sensing the negative side and already deflating.

"But- now is just a bad time." Ichigo finished. "There are no new job openings, and on top of that-" Ichigo suddenly caught himself off, an act that didn't go unnoticed by Rukia.

"What?" she questioned.

"Nothing." he said quickly. "It's just not possible at the moment. But it's practically a sure thing that you'll get it…We just don't know when."

Rukia finished deflating at the sound of that. And endless streak of sleepless nights working at Seretei and at the restaurant flashed before her eyes like a horrible premonition of months -or maybe years!- to come. She wasn't sure she could take it.

Then all of a sudden, an image of her brother standing with her back to her flashed through her mind. He was silent in disappointment as she informed him that she had been unable to get a real job at Seretei…And what a waste her time in college had been; she'd be a failure. Just like he'd always known…

No.

She would not disappoint him again. She didn't care if it took working twenty four hours a day, seven days a week- she would get that damn job if it was the last thing she did!

"Hey…" Ichigo spoke up, looking at her oddly. "You okay?" he asked, sounding unsure. Like being openly concerned was not something he did often…Which Rukia didn't doubt. "You look, sort of…" he frowned as he looked at her, as if he was trying to pinpoint just what was wrong. "White." he concluded lamely.

Rukia could have laughed if she hadn't been so tired- and so dreadful of what was yet to come. "It's nothing for you to worry about. Just tired, that's all."

Ichigo quickly turned away and shoved his hands in his pockets, looking slightly flustered. "I never said I was worried." he muttered defensively. Rukia had to smile at that, but she quickly turned away to hide it.

"Was there anything else?" she asked, not looking up at him. She suddenly felt a little lightheaded for some reason that she couldn't figure out.

Ichigo cleared his throat before speaking. "Uh, yeah actually." His tone was back to his usual seriousness. "Hinamori is taking some time off on maternity leave, so we'll be needing someone to fill in for the food segments. Are you up for it?"

"The food segments?" Rukia was unable to cover the groan in her voice. One article a week on some culinary piece… The last thing she wanted to think about after her shifts at the restaurant was food.

"Yeah. It can't be too hard for you. I'm sure you'll find some Chappy related dishes to write about for two or three weeks." Ichigo shrugged, and Rukia had to fight the urge to reach for the stapler and throw it at his mocking orange head. Sleep-shortage and teasing did not work well for her self control against annoying others.

"Idiot." she settled for muttering sullenly. To her surprise -and infinite annoyance- she caught Ichigo smirking in response before he walked away saying,

"The first article is due Thursday." Then he disappeared behind his office, kicking the door closed carelessly.

"Sure thing." Rukia grumbled after he was gone. "There goes my time for bathing as well." she checked off an imaginary list. And with that, she allowed her frustrations to be exhaled in a loud groan before she dropped her head on the table with a loud _bang._

That should knock her out for at least a half hour of sleep.

-x-

Ichigo nervously tapped his hand against his leg as he sat in his car and waited. His eyes kept darting from one window to another in search for a familiar car or figure. His hand kept tapping out nervously; he finally shoved both his hands in the pockets of his jeans and stilled them.

It was only about ten seconds later that his leg started jittering up and down.

He grimaced in annoyance at himself and was just about to turn on the radio to distract himself when he felt a shadow on his side, just before someone tapped against the window. With an immediate sense of relief, he saw the bulking figure of his best friend looking back at him.

"Thanks for coming, Chad." Ichigo greeted as he stepped out of the car, putting a hand on the giant's shoulder and giving him a friendly squeeze.

"No problem." He answered in his deep voice.

Ichigo turned to walk into the establishment he had parked outside of, when he noticed that the other man wasn't following. He looked back to see Chad standing at exactly the same spot beside his car, his expression unchanged and half hidden by his shaggy hair falling over his eyes.

"It's right here." Ichigo gestured with his thumb to the restaurant behind him. "Come on." he began to walk away again but was stopped by Chad's voice.

"Ichigo,"

"What?" he turned, not bothering to disguise the annoyance in his tone.

Looking at Chad, he saw the man point to the sidewalk beside his parked car and then look at him expectantly. It took him a minute to understand.

"You gotta be shitting me." Ichigo growled. With one disbelieving look at the man, he grumbled his way over to his car and got back into the driver's seat.

Ten minutes later he scowled beside Chad as they waited to be seated in the restaurant.

"You know it was a yellow line, Ichigo." Chad spoke up, seeing the orange-haired man sulking with his arms crossed over his chest.

"'_You know it was a yellow line'_" Ichigo repeated in a mocking tone, making a face as he did. "You know finding a parking spot is almost impossible at Urahara's." he complained. "You were such a stickler for the rules."

"Sorry." Chad said, though he was beginning to smile. "I guess the police academy rubbed off on me."

"Che." Ichigo resisted the urge to roll his eyes. A smirk made its way to his features. "At least it did on one of us." he commented. Chad's response was cut off by the arrival of the young girl in pigtails that held two menus and spoke shyly.

"Follow me, please." And with a bowed head, she led them inside the restaurant to a booth near the very back, just as Ichigo preferred.

"Thanks, Ururu." Ichigo said lightly as he slid into his seat. The girl blushed slightly before bowing again.

"The waiter will be here to take your order." And with that, she left, leaving Ichigo and Chad to their suddenly hushed conversation.

"So Aizen was at the ceremony…"

-x-

"Rukiaaaa!" sand the rapidly irritating cheerful voice of the blond man who had suddenly appeared behind her.

Rukia didn't respond immediately as she closed her eyes and took one deep breath.

Her shoulder-length black hair was pinned up, loose strands coming loose messily all around her face and standing wildly on her head. The sleeves of her blue sweater were rolled up to her elbows and over her torso a green apron was tied securely. Her face showed her weariness and her increasing annoyance with the night's customers and her overall state showed that she had been working almost non-stop for two weeks.

Overall, she would say that she looked as she felt.

After counting backwards from ten in her head, she turned to look at Urahara, who stood a few feet away in the kitchen amongst all the rushing around of cooks trying to fill in orders.

"What is it?" she asked through gritted teeth with as much politeness as she could muster.

"We've got people at table 14 who need your services." The shaggy-haired man announced. The striped green and white bucket hat that he normally wore served to shadow his eyes as he smiled cheekily at Rukia when he delivered the news.

"Alright…" Rukia said, mentally preparing herself for another polite smile and well-taken order. She headed out of the kitchen and towards the eating area and was on her way to table 14 when she noticed the two figures sitting there.

One sat facing her way but unaware of her presence; though remarkably big and broad shouldered, it wasn't him that caught her attention. It was the mess of bright orange spikes that could only belong to one person sitting across from him that made her suck in a sharp breath and quickly turn back to the kitchen.

"Let Ururu take that table!" Rukia said in a rush to Urahara, who was just exiting the kitchen himself.

"Eh?" he looked confused. "That's not Ururu's table. Besides, she's busy sitting people now. She can't take it."

"Then tell Jinta!" Rukia suggested pleadingly.

"I don't think it would be a very good idea to let our busboy wait those people." Urahara said diplomatically, noticing the seemingly frantic state of Rukia's. "And Tessai is busy too, before you ask." he anticipated her next words.

Rukia let her mouth close as she ran out of options. "Well…can't you sit them somewhere else so that Ururu can take them?"

"I'm afraid not, Rukia." Urahara said. "But why are you so against waiting on these people tonight?" He inquired.

Rukia let out a sigh. "No reason." she lied. "I just…Ururu!" she suddenly squealed, seeing the young girl walking past into the kitchen- probably on her way to deliver an order. Before Urahara could stop her, Rukia was rushing after her and smiling as she spoke. "Ururu; I know this might seem weird but…Let's switch tables." she proposed.

The timid girl's brow furrowed slightly as she processed the words. "Why?" she asked simply.

"Just…Could you do it as a favor?" She settled for saying. "This one time and I won't ask you for anything else." Rukia promised.

Ururu only took another second before very softly saying, "Okay."

Rukia breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, thanking the girl quickly before heading over to the table that she had accepted to take for herself.

The night progressed in the usual blur of orders and plates after that; other than the times when Rukia had to serve a table near the one where Ichigo sat, when she almost comically attempted to hide her face behind her small notebook for taking orders and tried to keep her voice down so that the orange-haired man wouldn't hear it by chance and recognize it. It resulted in a few hushed but heated discussions with the people on the table who were annoyed at the fact that they couldn't hear their waitress talking…

She might have made a slight fool of herself with her excessive precautions, but it was highly preferable than to suffer the humiliation of letting Ichigo see her in her current state. She didn't know what she would have done if that had happened; the horror and embarrassment and surely the mocking she would be subjected to…She was just relieved that it was all avoided.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't see-" Rukia started to apologize lightly after bumping into someone while she was deep in thought. That is, when she looked up at that someone and immediately saw bright orange. "…You…" she finished dumbly.

"Rukia?" Ichigo went bug-eyed for a moment. "What are you-" he began to ask when he looked down at her and noticed the tell-tale apron and messy pinned up hair. "Are you _working_ here?"

In that instant, a thousand different mortified thoughts ran through Rukia's mind, and she stood petrified and mute. But that only lasted an instant- because immediately after the shock, her instincts and impulses took over…Never really a beneficial event.

Ichigo barely had time to blink -let alone react- before he felt something knocking him aside like a bullet. By the time he had time to blink and get a hold of what was happening, Rukia was pinning behind the wall that led to the restrooms, her hand clamped over his mouth and her eyes looking around wildly before settling back on his own startled orbs.

"You can't tell anyone!" she hissed at him, keeping her voice low. "If word got out about me being a waitress here…It might just reach the wrong ears and- and I really don't want that. So I need you to do me a favor and act as if I had never been here, okay?" she said it all in one rushed mouthful.

Ichigo, being pinned to the wall by a woman about half his size, was feeling a mixture of surprise, admiration and a definite blow to his pride. But other than that, as he looked down at the petite girl -wordlessly, as she still kept her hushing hand over his mouth- he couldn't help but feel himself caught in her eyes, a dark shade of indigo in the medium lighting, as they pleaded him for silence.

A moment later, muffled words broke the silent staring. It was another second before Rukia realized he was trying to speak and she still had her hand over his mouth. She took it back quickly, embarrassed that she'd forgotten. Ichigo exhaled theatrically and then scowled down at her. For a moment, she feared that he would run off to announce to everyone of her current situation; then she wouldn't just have to deal with the present humiliation, but she'd have to take all the opinions from her coworkers -which she didn't really care about that much; the problem was if the rumor spread well enough, it might reach Byakuya's ears. He certainly had enough connections everywhere to be well-informed; as it was there was a chance he might have found out already.

Byakuya finding out was definitely out of the question. And her hopes lied with the orange-haired man…

She shrank back as she waited for him to open his mouth and either mock her or inform her that he'd be telling all heir coworkers next morning over coffee…Instead…

"So this is what had you so tired lately, eh?"

Rukia had started to cringe before his words registered. She warily peeked up at him and saw that his face was set on the usual scowl as he asked her the seemingly normal question.

And then she realized exactly what his question was, and was surprised -if not shocked- to realize that Ichigo was more perceptive than she had given him credit for. Go figure.

"How long have you been working here?" he asked when she didn't answer his earlier question, taking her surprised silence as an affirmative.

"The last two weeks." Rukia found herself answering, suddenly finding it easy to tell him. He didn't seem to care at all or find it degrading in any way that she was scraping by as a waitress because she couldn't get an actual job as a writer.

"Well no wonder you've been so tired." Ichigo said. "It's been showing in your work too. Sloppier than usual." he shrugged, and Rukia gave him a light glare. He wasn't tormenting her at all…He was taking it all so casually…

The exact opposite of what she'd feared. The exact opposite of what would have been Byakuya's reaction. She found herself feeling thankful towards Ichigo.

"You try working all day on other people's articles to then come work five more hours in here and _then_ start writing." Rukia finally said, crossing her arms over her chest and scoffing casually, suddenly at ease. If anything, she felt stupid for her earlier need to hide.

"I'd probably do a better job than you." Ichigo smoothly replied, maintaining a straight face for almost a full two seconds after finishing before the smirk painted his features.

Rukia mirrored his smirk and for a moment the two stood contentedly between the restrooms and the wall that hid them from the dining area, their eyes meeting and reflecting their grins. Rukia felt so unexpectedly comfortable that it took her a while to notice just how close they were standing…And in a dark, hidden location that could easily lead to wrong assumptions….Which she desperately needed to avoid. With _him_ especially.

"I should get back to work." she chimed all of a sudden, jumping back a few steps and creating room between her and Ichigo. "Still have an hour left to fill in, tips to catch and all…" she said hurriedly, backing away further.

"Right." Ichigo said, starting to become aware himself of what their previous situation could have been misread as. "Don't let me stop you." he said simply. With that, Rukia turned and left to work. Ichigo stared after her retreating back only for a second too long, before remembering what his original purpose for getting up had been.

He all but ran into the restroom.

-x-

"I'm done for the night, Urahara." Rukia called, exhaustion and relief crawling into her voice as she pulled the worn apron over her head -her sore muscles cracking in the process- and folded it before putting it away under the cash register.

She was just starting to head towards the exit when Urahara's voice stopped her. "Not yet, Rukia." he chimed, coming up beside her seemingly out of nowhere. She might have jumped, had she not been so tired. "We still have one more customer on his table."

"But we're clo-" Rukia started to say, but let the words die as Urahara motioned towards the tables near the back of the restaurant, and there she saw him. She said nothing as she started to make her way to the last customer in the establishment, Urahara smiling suggestively behind her.

"You're still here." Rukia stated, coming up to the table with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Thanks for pointing that out." Ichigo responded sarcastically.

Rukia noted that the guy he had been with earlier was gone; Ichigo was alone at the booth.

"Well, I hope you're not expecting extra after-hours service just because my job may or may not depend on you." Rukia told him. "Because I'm not planning to wait on another soul tonight."

"Don't worry, I don't need you to do anything." Ichigo said in his usual grumpy manner. "I was just leaving." As he said it, he started to slid out of the booth and to his feet, rising above Rukia in seconds. He started to step away to the exit when he suddenly stopped and turned to look at her. "Aren't you coming?"

Rukia stood dumbfounded for a moment. "What do you mean?" she asked, genuinely confused.

Ichigo's brow furrowed ever so slightly further; he seemed annoyed that he had to explain. "I was going to offer you a ride back to your place."

Rukia had to blink in order to absorb that. Had Ichigo just…Not just offered to do something nice, but actually waited at the restaurant for over an hour to do so… She had to stop herself from looking out thee windows to check for any flying swine.

"Why would you do that?" Rukia asked, unable to contain herself.

"Because I'm a freaking saint." Ichigo scowled at her. "You don't have a car, do you? So come on before I take back my offer."

Perhaps a bit unorthodox in methods, but it was the thought that counted. Rukia actually felt a smile tugging at her lips. Obviously sensing her change in manner, Ichigo quickly intercepted her smile. "Don't go getting any ideas about me. I'm only doing this because I owe you for…last time." he cleared his throat as he said 'last time'. Rukia didn't have to ask to know that he was referring to the time a couple of weeks ago when she had driven him to his house when he was sick- and brewed up a remedy to boot. A remedy, which she might add, had worked wonders almost immediately.

She realized that this was Ichigo's way of thanking her. Ever the man, he couldn't do so with words; he needed to assert his higher species by doing something to even the playing field. Rukia had so many important men in her life that this was a custom she could understand, and was more than used to.

"I'd be happy to take you up on that offer." she said finally, and Ichigo seemed to relax ever so slightly. "But," he stiffened up again. "It just so happens that I live in an apartment just down the block. I'll get there faster by walking." her smile was half sheepish, half amused. "Rain check?" she suggested.

Ichigo shook his head. "Then I'll just walk you there."

Again, Rukia was not expecting that.

"You heard me." Ichigo attempted to sound exasperated. "Now let's go."

Not really seeing any further reason not to, Rukia quickly grabbed her jacket, pulled it on and followed Ichigo out of the restaurant and into the cool night.

The cold early winter air hit her with shocking contrast to the warmth inside Urahara's, causing her to shiver visibly before rubbing her hands together for some warmth. Ichigo gave no outward reaction to the temperature, but watched Rukia's carefully. After the first moment getting used to the temperature change, she let her hands fall limply to her sides and closed her eyes for an instant, taking a breath as if she was breathing in the winter air. For that moment, she looked simply content. Ichigo found himself staring as he remembered one girl who had been interested in him during college, who stepped out of a building with him and as soon as they were out she made a show of shivering and pulling her arms around herself so tightly it looked nearly painful; he even remembered her teeth shattering increasingly audibly. After a few ridiculously conspicuous comments on the "hellishly awful cold", Ichigo had been practically forced to offer the girl his jacket.

He wasn't sure why his mind had conjured up that horribly awkward and annoying memory at the time, but as he looked at Rukia -visibly at ease with the low degrees- he couldn't help but note how refreshingly comfortable being there with her was in contrast to other women. Not that he thought of Rukia that way- as a potentially attractive female-, he barely thought of her as a friend. At least he did now; he would prefer to attribute the happenings of that night at the Halloween party to the effects of a long tiring night and an even longer dry spell. It had nothing to do with his view of her now.

"Ichigo," her voice called him out of his thoughts. "Were you planning on waiting to see snow or walking me home?"

Ichigo's face quickly slipped into a familiar scowl and he started walking, muttering about annoying sarcastic little dwarfs. But he was stopped by the sound of Rukia clearing her throat behind him. "What?" he snapped.

The corner of Rukia's mouth lifted into a smirk and she pointed in the direction behind her. "My apartment is that way." Ichigo wordlessly turned and started in the correct direction, making himself purposely deaf to the sound of Rukia chuckling as she walked to catch up with him.

The two fell into step quickly and they walked at a calm, easy pace through the night; their hands shoved in their pockets against the cold. At one point, neither would have known when, their walking turned into something closer to strolling. Ichigo looked down at her from the corner of his eye and saw her contently making her way in the routine direction, with him as company. As he looked at her, he saw the way her raven strands of hair fell in a careful disarray around her face as they escaped their restrictive pins; he saw her pale skin beginning to turn rosy from the cold biting at her cheeks, and he noticed the way she walked with her head held high even after such a long day of work. But the tell-tale signs of her exhaustion were evident in the darkened area beneath her eyes. Ichigo felt a strange sensation pull at his chest when he saw her and realized just how tired -and just what an effort of pretending otherwise- she really must have been. Pity, probably…Though it felt like something more akin to empathy, maybe. He felt the need to say something.

"You know, I just realized something." he spoke up, breaking the silence between them. He kept his gaze ahead of him but felt Rukia turn her eyes in his direction. "Michiru had asked me to give her Hinamori's article session the day she asked for maternity leave. I think she really wants it, and I had told her I'd see-"

"Ichigo." Rukia stopped him, slowing her pace a little. "You don't need to pretend; you feel sorry for me so you don't think I can handle the extra work." she said, Ichigo slowing all the way to a stop as the accuracy of Rukia's words sunk in.

"I don't think you should handle it." he said slowly, trying to pick his words carefully. Rukia, who had just stopped a few steps away from him, looked at him through slightly narrowed eyes.

"Don't do that." Rukia said firmly. "I know my own limits, I don't need you to decide for me. I already accepted the responsibility; I don't want special treatment."

"It's not special treatment." Ichigo hurried to clarify. "It's a professional decision when I see that you aren't able to commit to more than you already have."

"If I don't publish more articles, I'll have less of a chance of getting the job." Rukia argued. "I _need_ to do this."

Though it was fairly well-disguised, Ichigo still caught the slightest note of desperation hidden in Rukia's last words. She was exhausted; she knew she was exhausted. But she wasn't giving up. And deep down, Ichigo knew she was right: the more she published, the closer she got to a real job at Seretei, and the sooner she could stop killing herself working two jobs.

"Then I suggest a compromise." Ichigo finally said.

Rukia paused, considering him before speaking. "I'm listening."

"You share the work with someone else," Ichigo proposed. "Write an article every other week instead of every week. You'll have less of a burden and you'll still get frequent published pieces. Nanao can alternate with you." He suggested the responsible bespectacled woman who was always ready to take on more wore work.

"That's-" Rukia started to complain, before pausing and looking mildly surprised. "…Not a bad idea, actually."

"You don't have to sound so surprised…" Ichigo frowned down at her; she of course, acted as if she didn't hear a word.

"Not a bad idea at all." Rukia added, starting to walk again, with Ichigo following closely. "I'll take you up on that. I'll have my article ready for next week." she stated confidently; Ichigo might even say that she sounded relieved, as in a weight had been at least partially lifted off her shoulders. He couldn't blame her.

The rest of the walk to Rukia's apartment was in silence. In any other circumstance, it would have been an uncomfortable and awkward silence; but to Ichigo's surprise, it wasn't like that at all. He had always hated small talk and was never nay good at it, which usually meant disaster for these sorts of situations. But Rukia walked on beside him without making a single effort to start up any kind of meaningless conversation and simply allowed him to follow her without a word. He couldn't help but note that it felt so easy to just be beside her; no strained conversation or awkward fidgeting, as most people -particularly females- put him through on an almost daily basis.

In his comfortable musings, Ichigo didn't notice Rukia had stopped until he nearly crashed into her and sent them both toppling down. Fortunately, he was quick enough to stop himself before any potentially embarrassing accidents occurred.

"Here we are." Rukia declared, looking towards the steps leading up to a wooden door with faded paint. The narrow building was tightly wedged in between two others and had a window on each floor.

Ichigo almost subconsciously studied over the place, memorizing the place where she lived automatically.

After a moment of the two of them just standing there, not moving but not saying anything either, Ichigo felt the need to break the moment before things could get weird- or he could get curious about the light smirk playing over Rukia's lips. "Well, aren't you going in?" he asked roughly.

Rukia rolled her eyes before looking back up at him. "Ever the charmer." she commented. "Thanks for the walk." she added, before starting towards the steps. She had just stood on the first step when Ichigo spoke again.

"Yeah, whatever." he muttered, his hands shoved in his pockets. Rukia looked back at him and bit back a smile. He looked boyishly flustered as he tried to appear nonchalant about his act of kindness, or gratitude, whatever he might call it. The way he buried his hands deeply into his pockets and looked away to scowl at a lamp post made him look almost-

Rukia caught herself before the thought could complete itself. Shaking her head, she quickly turned back to start up the stairs again; she hadn't noticed the smile that had formed on her lips until it fell in her haste. But before she could get past the door, Ichigo's voice stopped her again.

"Rukia,"

She stopped, already halfway under the frame and holding the door open with one hand and looking expectantly back at him, still on the sidewalk.

Ichigo hesitated and opened his mouth then shut it again once before finally looking up to meet her eyes with his brown orbs. "Get some rest." he said finally, holding her gaze.

Rukia, caught for a moment in the surprising mixture of softness and intensity in his eyes, took a second to reply. "Yeah…I will."

Ichigo held her eyes for a fraction longer before looking away hurriedly. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"See you tomorrow." Rukia repeated, and now that his eyes weren't on hers she found her easy voice and allowed a friendly smile to appear on her face. "Good night, Ichigo."

" 'Night." With that, Ichigo walked away and Rukia disappeared behind the door. Once inside, she hurried up the stairs to the third floor and into her small apartment, falling back against the door once she was safely inside.

Once she was alone with her thoughts, she finally allowed herself to wonder privately. _Why_ had her heart skipped a beat the moment Ichigo called her name and met her eyes…?

-x-

Jushiro Ukitake stood in tense silence accentuated by the dim lighting in his office. It was ten o'clock at night -usually it wasn't recommendable for him to work such late hours, but as an editor it was just sometimes part of the job description. Normally, he even found some comfort in the quiet peace of the office at those late hours.

Not tonight, however. Tonight, he stood behind a closed door and blind shutters; a tense silence extending between him and the figure standing across from him on the other side of his desk, his hand stretched and holding out a folder with his name on it.

"Ukitake, I assure you this afflicts no one more than I- except perhaps Yamamoto himself." The brown-haired man spoke. "But he feels that it is best for the newspaper; let's face it. Your health has always and will always be a problem and liability. We need someone steadier to run Seretei."

The whole time, the bespectacled man smiled calmly, offering the folder. Ukitake stood in silent shock, before swallowing and clearing the lump in his throat. "I…suppose it was inevitable." he reached out with a shaky hand, before he forced it to be steady- savoring every ounce of dignity he had- and took the folder detailing his forced early retirement.

"I'm glad you understand." said the man, still smiling. "The announcement will be made at the Christmas party, in three weeks."

"If I may ask," Ukitake forced his heavy eyes to look up at the younger man. "Who will be taking my place?"

The other man's smile widened.

"I will." said Aizen, the light gleaming across the lenses of his glasses as he spoke.

* * *

**A/N: Hey, look who hasn't died! Me, that's who!**

**I won't make excuses for this late update...(okay I will- college, plus friends going through rough times, plus my own lack of inspiration for this story...It all contributed) But alas, I am here, presenting a chapter. It was kind of boring but I wanted to show Rukia having a hard time after a while of working for Seretei without pay- and of Ichigo seeing what she's going through. Also added a little foreshadowing thing there at the end- you may not want to forget that Aizen subplot, it'll become fairly important to the main plot later on...I'm not saying anything else! ;)**

**Oh and I wanted to address some people's unease about last chapter, when Rukia slapped Ichigo. First of all- it wasn't mindless violence and I am NOT turning this into another cliché IchiRuki story of physical abuse for the lulz. The reason she slapped him was because he was being stubbornly stupid and jeopardizing his own well-being; she knows Ichigo wouldn't listen to words so she had to do something to knock some sense into him. Ergo, the slap. That being said, I'm sorry to see some people were so put off by that, especially to those who actually dropped the story because of it :S Oh well XD**

**To my reviewers: _ddr, V, Ninny, Lunar, MN, HigurashiAlchemist, ali6220, xXBleachluverXx, AnimeFanx3, TopHatsNPyros, Chappygami, Nivek01, SupaCrazee, Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky, youtubesam, Aika Ray Kuroba, shnizlefritz, LazierThanShika-Kun, falconrukichi, Scarlet02, Alyssa, and AwesomeAnimeStarIchiRuki _**

**Thank you all! Your support and enthusiasm is always so great and was the reason I was guilt-tripped into sitting my butt down and writing this chapter at last xD I have so much fun reading your reviews, they give me all these tingly feelings :3 lol Thanks for that!=)**

**I hope this chapter was to your satisfaction. I know, it was slow, but I did enjoy that little scene of them walking at the end^^ And just so you don't get frustrated with my pacing, I'm going to leak a little teaser and let you know that things will start speeding up in a couple of chapters. Hehe, I won't say no more! Muahaha!:)**

**Til next chapter!:D  
**


	8. Comforting

**A/N: How long was that? A month for this update? I think I'm progressing ;P**

* * *

It was mid December and the Christmas atmosphere was already noticeably taking over the Seretei offices. If the queer miniature festive ornaments and stickers now decorating almost every cubicle and office weren't enough of a sign, then the unusually light and friendly mood of the employees was most definitely conclusive evidence of the nearing holidays. People hummed as they typed and smiled to those they passed on their way to get coffee or to the restrooms; easy laughs escaped those who stopped for quick chatter before returning to work. Although work was hectic and deadlines were now tighter than any other time, the contagious spirit of the holidays seemed to keep everyone running on high spirits. All in all, it was the most pleasant Rukia had ever seen the people of Seretei.

There was only one person who seemed unaffected by the general cheer going around. And that person's -plainly undecorated- office just happened to be next to Rukia's cubicle.

"-told you to have them ready yesterday." Ichigo's voice -leaking with a slightly higher than usual percent of annoyance- reached Rukia's ears as she opened the door to his office. "Of course I'm sure it was you! It's not my fault you're always too busy thinking with your asses to do your jobs right! Wha- No!" Ichigo growled in obvious frustration; he seemed seconds away from throwing his phone against the wall. Rukia deliberated whether she should make her presence known yet or just quietly slip out and return later. "Fine! But have them here first thing tomorrow or I _swear_ I'll shove those ridiculous feathers so far up your-"

"Ehem." Rukia chose it was time to intervene, clearing her throat to announce herself. Ichigo quickly looked at her.

"Just get them here, will you?" Ichigo said into the phone, before hanging up with more force than seemed necessary. Then he turned his attention to Rukia.

"Getting into the holiday cheer early?" Rukia asked teasingly. Ichigo looked tempted to roll his eyes but settled for crossing his arms over his chest where he sat before his desk.

"What do you want?" he asked curtly.

"Nothing," Rukia replied, revealing the folder she had been holding so Ichigo could see it. "Just came to give you my article for this week in case you wanted to give it a once-over."

Ichigo looked towards his desk and computer, where mounds of unfinished work awaited him mockingly, and then looked back towards Rukia and her own article, hesitating only for a moment. "Leave it there," he said, gesturing to an empty area on his desk. "I'll take a look at it this afternoon."

Rukia frowned as she also saw how cluttered Ichigo's desk was, figuring he should be rather busy, as was almost everyone on the paper at this time of year. She took a step back. "Never mind. You're busy-"

"I didn't say I was busy." Ichigo said quickly. "Well, I am, but I have enough time to at least proofread your work before handing it to Ukitake-"

"Don't be ridiculous." Rukia cut him off. "You're obviously under a tight schedule. I can proofread myself or just ask Kaien-"

Ichigo's eyes widened slightly at the mention of the other man and he quickly stood up, closing the distance between himself and Rukia in two long strides and taking the folder containing her article from her hands before she even had time to react.

"…To do it." Rukia finished her sentence lamely, looking at the folder that had been in her grasp a second ago.

"_I_'ll do it." Ichigo said with finality, putting emphasis on the first person pronoun. "Now just run along and be a good little intern."

Instantly put off by his patronizing manner, Rukia huffed -after sending him a quick glare- then spun on her heel and left the office, closing the door behind her.

Once Rukia was sitting in her cubicle, she set to do some last-minute spellchecking for an article on home interiors. Not a particularly thrilling piece, she soon found herself drifting into boredom. Once she had the official job, she couldn't help but think, there would be no more tedious tasks like spellchecking other's work. And she was sure that with taking up half of the segments of Hinamori's work she'd be sure to reach her goal- as long as she didn't screw up. And so far, she was happy that things seemed promising; working at a restaurant on weeknights was a definite advantage for her when it came to writing articles on food and original delicacies. And although she was still tired -sometimes just exhausted- from all her work at Seretei and Urahara's, the early Christmas and winter atmosphere helped improve her state significantly. Still, she hoped she wouldn't be stuck in the same position for much longer. The lack of sleep definitely took its toll on her. Not to mention that with the lack of time for proper meals she had already started to lose weight; which wasn't really something she aimed for given her already naturally slim body. If she kept losing weight she'd lose whatever trace of curves she had left.

_Just a little longer…_ she promised herself, not letting despair set in.

" 'Til what?" Kaien's voice startled her as he popped over the cubicle to look at her.

"Eh?" Rukia blinked, waiting for an explanation.

"'Just a little longer' 'til what?" he asked, and Rukia realized then that she had accidentally spoken out loud. "Lunch break?" he suggested.

"No," Rukia said. "I was just talking to myself."

"Oh," Kaien looked apprehensive. "Finally started to stop ignoring those voices in your head?" he nodded in mock understanding.

Rukia stuck her tongue out at him, throwing maturity out the window. "I'm _thinking_."

"Yeah, maybe you should try it sometime, Kaien." Rangiku said, coming up beside them and looking at him with a playful smile and turning to wink at Rukia.

The women shared a laugh at his expense while he pouted childishly.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Kaien asked with a frown; he didn't find it particularly fair that Rangiku was just slipping out from work to come make fun of his intelligence- which was above the average IQ, he might add.

"Just passing through to say hi on my way to the copy machine." Rangiku explained with a lazy wave of her hand, showing a handful of papers she held in her other hand. "Toshiro is on my ass again about making some deadline." she made an 'ugh' sound, with a dramatic swoon and all. "He's such a hard-ass."

Kaien and Rukia shared a look of 'is she serious?' then turned back to the pouting blonde.

"So you're on a first name basis with him already?" Kaien questioned.

Rangiku laughed. "No way! If he knew I call him that he'd probably have my head! But what little Shiro doesn't know won't hurt him." Rangiku paused for another chuckle, not noticing how her two listener's faces suddenly changed and missing the sound of footsteps approaching. "I swear, he can be so stiff. It's really astounding, someone as young as him. I mean he looks like a little kid, but he acts like an old man! I keep telling him to relax-" she went on, not pausing once to see how the two in front of her frantically made signs for her to stop. "-one day he'll realize. It's too bad by then he'll probably need to surgically remove that stick up his a-"

"RANGIKU!" Kaien and Rukia finally erupted at the same time. Rangiku's words died on her open mouth as she stood stock-still.

"He's right behind me isn't he?"

Kaien and Rukia wordlessly nodded.

Rangiku paled as she turned and came face-to-face (using the term loosely, seeing as the man barely came up to her chest…A spot most of the male race would find themselves privileged to have such a good view to.) with her very angry-looking superior.

"Matsumoto…"

The screaming fest that followed was largely ignored by the majority of the all-too-accustomed employees, while the guilty busty blonde pleaded her case futilely before finally leaving to do the work she was supposed to be doing.

"Some things won't ever change." chuckled lightly a voice behind Rukia.

She turned to see the tall figure of Mr. Ukitake, smiling as good-natured as always as he finished watching the display. He wore his white hair in his usual low ponytail and a pastel colored oxford shirt with a dark tie. Despite his high position, he still looked like a friendly, almost fatherly type of guy.

"Good morning, Ukitake." Kaien greeted with an easy smile, leaving his cubicle to do so. From her relatively short time at Seretei, Rukia had come to know that Kaien and Ukitake had been close friends for some time; so much so that Ukitake had been the one to give away Miyako on Kaien's wedding to her.

"Morning Kaien." The white-haired man smiled. "And Kuchiki." he nodded at her.

"Good morning sir." Rukia smiled back, feeling as comfortable as she usually did in his presence.

"To what do we owe the pleasure of you coming all the way down from the sixth floor to see us lowly peasants?" Kaien asked dramatically.

"I'm just serving as a mailman today." Ukitake answered back jokingly. As if it was proof, he revealed a pack of small envelopes he had been holding. "I'm giving out the invitations for the Christmas party."

Kaien raised an eyebrow as Ukitake handed him and Rukia a delicately decorated envelope each. "Don't you have lackeys to order around for that kind of stuff?" he asked.

"If by that you mean assistants and secretaries, then yes." Ukitake laughed sheepishly. "But Kiyone and Sentaro are currently in the middle of a heated argument and I figured it might be easier to give these away myself if I wanted them to be distributed before the end of the month."

Kaien and Rukia both nodded in understanding. The editor's personal assistant and secretary were known for their never-ending bouts of verbal spars which more often than not turned to full-blown screaming wars that gave Hitsugaya a run for his money.

"Anyway, I hope I see the two of you there." Ukitake told them. "It will be…a very memorable night." he finished.

Was it Rukia's imagination, or did Ukitake sound almost sad as he finished his sentence? She quickly looked up and she could have sworn that his brown eyes had dimmed ever-so-slightly, but before she could make sure, he had smiled at them again and left to continue giving out the invitations.

"You know, I keep telling him to just send these by email. It's what everyone's doing these days anyway." Kaien commented as he rolled around the invitation in his fingers. "But he just won't listen to me."

Shaking herself out her ponderings about what she thought she saw in Ukitake's expression, Rukia slipped back into her casual interactions. "That's because there's a reason why Ukitake is chief editor and you're just writing stories on domestic animals."

Kaien's mouth dropped open indignantly. "That story on the Itaka puppy was gold! The dog could go to the bathroom. _On his own!"_ he jumped to defend himself.

"I rest my case." Rukia grinned as she turned and took her seat, leaving Kaien to defend himself and the brilliancy of his stories.

A few minutes passed in that matter when the door to Ichigo's office burst open and out came the orange-haired man himself.

"Ichi-" Rukia started, but was cut off as a folder came flying into her hands.

"That's your revised article, ready for Ukitake." Ichigo explained quickly, and Rukia disbelievingly flipped through the pages inside and confirmed it was true. "I'm leaving to cover a story, won't be back 'til late." As he spoke, he shrugged on his jacket and as soon as he was done he made his way out, not even giving Rukia a chance to speak.

"Geesh. Someone's in a hurry." Kaien remarked. "Rukia?" he asked after she didn't say anything.

"Mm?" she looked up, her expression somewhat far-off. "Oh, yeah. I guess it must be some important story."

Her comment seemed to be enough for Kaien as he shrugged and went back to his cubicle. Rukia was left with her thoughts as she went back to her work. For some reason, the way Ichigo suddenly left in such a rush seemed odd to her. She didn't know why, but there was the oddest feeling of wariness that bugged her.

_Come to think of it, he's always so secretive and jumpy…_ She mused. _And I never really knew about why it was that he had been in danger of getting fired when I came here in the first place. _She stopped her train of thoughts before it could progress any further. _It's not my place to wonder. _

-x-

To say Ichigo was mad was an understatement.

Well, not really. It wasn't that he was _mad_, although there was definitely some anger brewing in him. It was that he was just so incredibly _frustrated_.

Another lead, another dead end. When Chad had called him that morning, urging him to meet him, he'd been so sure that that was it. But no, it turned out to be yet another faux. It was days like these that made Ichigo truly wonder if he should just give up on the whole thing and continue living his generally comfortable life.

But no, he wouldn't give up. He refused to let that bastard win, after _everything…_

He was snapped out of his thoughts as something bumped harshly against his side as he walked aimlessly on the sidewalk.

"Hey, watch it-!"

Correction: some_one._

"-you…Ichigo?"

Said orange-haired man looked down at the surprised voice. "Rukia? What are you doing here?" he asked in an almost accusatory fashion.

"Me? I should be asking _you_ that." The black-haired petite woman scoffed. "I'm on my way to work- to Urahara's that is." she clarified. "Where did you go off to in such a rush this morning? You never even came back."

"Oh, that." Ichigo averted his eyes and answered dismissively. "Just some story I got a call on. Turned out to be nothing." _For the hundredth time… _he added mentally.

"I see." Rukia nodded once in apparent understanding. She clutched the strap of her purse and looked off to the side. "Well, it's a bit early for my shift. I should still have some time to pester you. Come on."

She started walking again, and Ichigo watched her retreating back for a moment before falling into step behind her. Then her words registered. "Wait, what do you mean _pester me?_"

He could see the smirk pulling at the corner of her lips. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Wha-? You said-"

"Hmm, sorry. I'm afraid I can't understand a word you're saying, Mr. Kurosaki." The bitch was smiling, her expression deceptively innocent as she shrugged helplessly. "You're going to have to speak up a little more…"

"Stop that!" he yelled. "And cut it out with that voice!"

"What voice?" she asked, doubling the sugary sweet coating in her usually lower-pitched voice. "This is my everyday natural voice."

Ichigo cringed. "Ack! That is _not_ your voice, Rukia!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Stop it!"

Their rising voices echoed through the streets they walked in the direction of Urahara's, turning a few heads on their way, but leaving most people to ignore them and walk away quickly.

Neither of them noticed the sound of Ichigo's cellphone ringing in his pocket.

-x-

Urahara hid behind the partially open back door of the restaurant, peeking out from the edge as he watched with interest.

"Boss?"

The shaggy-haired man jumped as the deep voice that came from behind startled him. "Geez Tessai! You can be one scary guy, you know."

"What were you looking at, Boss?" The tall and dark man with braided hair asked.

Urahara made motion towards the booth that held his attention. "He still hasn't left." he said, not taking his grey eyes off the bright-haired young man that had arrived hours prior with his newest waitress. Said man was currently sitting in his booth, taking a sip of his soda while the petite dark-haired woman stood with a smirk on her face and spoke inaudible words. As he watched, the orange-haired man responded something that caused the smirk to leave the girl's face before she glared at him and shot something back at him. For the whole time that Urahara had watched, this was what their interactions had been like: the boy sat quiet and calm in his booth and every few minutes Rukia would pass him by in between waiting on other tables and make some sort of comment to get the boy started, continue the verbal spar for another minute or two then go back to her duties, before repeating the process.

"Ah, I see." Tessai said, standing with his head just above Urahara's as they spied on the customer and waitress. "Is it the first time it happens?"

"Second." Urahara confided. Whatever Tessai's response was going to be was cut off.

"Are you spying on Rukia?"

The sweet, timid -yet somehow accusing- voice could only belonged to one pig-tailed little girl.

"Ururu!" Urahara exclaimed and laughed innocently as he pulled the girl behind the door with them."Of course not! We were just checking if the door needed to be oiled, weren't we Tessai."

"I thought-"

"_Weren't we_, Tessai?" The blond asked with more emphasis.

"Of course we were, Boss!" the dark-skinned man agreed quickly, catching on. "Everything seems to be in top condition!" he illustrated with a thumbs up, which Urahara mirrored, while adding his own cheeky smile.

The young waitress stared with an unaltered expression. A moment passed an the blond man along with his dark-skinned companion leaned against the door to look out again…

When suddenly, the door was pulled open, making the grown men leaning against it fall face-first on the ground at a certain woman's small feet.

"The door seems to be working just fine." Rukia said coldly, arms folded over her chest as she looked down at the softly whining men who hadn't noticed her approach. "If you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work." She unceremoniously stepped over her boss's body as she made her way to the kitchen.

Ichigo leaned back comfortably in his seat in the booth next to the window, letting the cushioned material mold to his body and resting his head against the back. He let his eyes close absentmindedly as he relaxed. Just a couple of hours prior, he had been about to hit the nearest concrete wall, yet now, he felt like he could almost take a nap. It was hard to believe he'd taken such a turn-around. He wondered briefly at that, before he heard small tell-tale footsteps and he cracked one eye open.

Rukia stood there, her dark hair pulled into a bun with a few strands coming lose around her face, and the green apron signaling that she was a waitress covering the front of her white shirt and jeans. Her hand was on her hip as she looked at him with furrowed eyebrows. "Comfortable?" she asked sarcastically.

Ichigo felt a grin tugging at his lips. "Very." he closed his eye again and raised his arms to more comfortably rest his head on, scooting lower into his seat.

"Well get up, this isn't a hotel room." she snapped, though there was no real annoyance behind her voice; he could tell. It was becoming increasingly easy to tell, actually. Just like it was becoming increasingly easy for him to act naturally around her, like they really were friends.

"Nah, I think I'll stay here a bit longer." He felt the smile on his lips grow. "Wake me up when it's closing time."

"Why you…" he heard her grumble. "You-"

The would-be beginning of her sure-to-be very interesting description of him was interrupted by the muffled generic ringing of a cell phone.

"You going to answer that?" Rukia asked after a couple of rings.

Ichigo opened his eyes reluctantly and sat up to reach into the front pocket of his jeans and pulling out the silver little device. He flipped it open and took a glance at the unknown number before absentmindedly pressing the end button and shoving the phone back in his pocket.

"Sorry, you were saying?" he turned back to the lecturing waitress.

"Nothing, really." she started offhandedly. "I was just about to tell you to either order something or get out." Her forced sweet voice made her smile all the more threatening.

Ichigo sat unfazed. "You can't kick me out."

"Oh no?" she challenged.

"No. As it happens," he began calmly. "I still haven't paid for what I've had so far. If you kick me out now, you'll be letting go of all my money. I don't think your boss would be too happy about that."

"…" Rukia opened her mouth then closed it again. "You're annoying." she informed him.

_But you love me._

Ichigo almost let that slip, but caught himself in time. It wasn't that it was an unusual phrase between friends, but Ichigo really wasn't the type to use it. Especially not when he and Rukia had just entered such a non-strained and casual relationship.

"You're short and temperamental." he settled for instead, shrugging. "We can't help our faults."

Rukia's eye twitched. "Look who's talking about temperamental, Sir Scowls-a-lot."

"Like I haven't heard _that_ before." he rolled his eyes, a scowl taking place on his face.

The following two hours went on in a similar fashion, with Rukia stopping by Ichigo's table for a few minutes before going back to wait on the other customers at the restaurant. By the end of her shift she was unusually tired, but also in an unusually pleasant mood. It might have had to do with the intervals of chatter (mostly casual bickering) with Ichigo…but she would never admit it.

When eleven o' clock rolled around, Rukia unceremoniously flopped down on the seat across from Ichigo's, her apron already removed and her purse and coat at hand. She let out a loud sigh and the orange-haired man looked up at her.

"Done?" he asked.

She nodded. "You ready to go?"

He nodded as well and stood up, stretching his sore muscles from all the time sitting down. "I'm right behind you." he said, gesturing for her to go ahead while simultaneously trying to stifle a yawn.

Rukia followed suit and got up, heading ahead of him towards the door.

"See you tomorrow, Rukia!" called the blond owner in a sing song voice, appearing from behind the door in the back of the restaurant with rather convenient timing. He waved and Rukia rolled her eyes.

"Later, Urahara." was all she said as she pulled her coat on, then stepped outside with Ichigo.

"Your boss is weird." Ichigo stated once they were outside.

Rukia let out a laugh. "You should wait 'til you've met him."

With that, Ichigo started in the direction of Rukia's apartment without needing to ask. The raven-haired girl didn't question him as they went on their way.

The night was rather peaceful; not many people crowded the streets of Karakura so late on a Wednesday night. Leaving the two adults to stroll quietly without interruption. Neither of them spoke, both wearing expressions of calm ease as they walked at a leisurely pace.

The trees and light poles lining the street were alight with colorful lights and other Christmas decorations, the different colors reflecting of the concrete and the cars parked along the sidewalk. The balconies of different apartment buildings in the area and doors of some businesses were also fitted with blinking lights, giving the whole quiet place that holiday feel.

At one point Rukia brought her arms around herself and rubbed her arms, noticing her breath becoming more visible before her in the cold air. Ichigo, hands shoved in the pockets of his own jacket, took a sideways glance at her.

"Cold?" he asked.

"Not much." she answered vaguely, her eyes straying upwards to the dark skies. Ichigo barely noticed how the color of the Christmas lights reflected off her pale skin and on her eyes.

He then looked away to follow her gaze, and noticed something coming down, floating lightly to the street.

"It's snowing." he dumbly stated the obvious.

Rukia nodded, her attention clearly caught in the softly floating little white flakes.

Ichigo had to smile as he saw her gaze with almost childlike wonder at the spectacle. In that moment, she looked very different from the confident, loud and confrontational woman he was used to seeing. He could hardly imagine the woman in front of him even raising her voice, or using it to form an insult.

"It's just snow, not a parade."

"Idiot."

Ah, there she was. Ichigo chuckled lightly at her reaction to his remark, seeing her light glare before she quickly resumed staring at the falling snow.

"It's beautiful." she breathed suddenly. There was an air of awe around her as she said so, and Ichigo failed to see just what was so great about the snow. He looked up then back at the gaping woman.

He noticed some of the white particles had lodged themselves in her midnight hair, and before he could even stop himself, he reached out and dusted them off. Rukia's startled eyes snapped to his, and he froze, realizing what he had been doing. His hand lingered over her head, fingers brushing against her silken strands as his eyes widened in surprise.

"Uh," he muttered, retreating his hand rapidly. "S-sorry. You had some…in your hair…I…" he was stuttering! He couldn't believe he was stuttering. When was the last time Ichigo Kurosaki stuttered?

He reached up to scratch a nonexistent itch on the back of his head as he averted his eyes, hoping the redness on his cheeks would be attributed to the low temperature.

Instead of making a snaky reply or a teasing comment, Rukia smiled softly. "Come on. It's late." she said, resuming her walk from where the two had stopped.

"Right." Ichigo hurried beside her, continuing on the route to her place.

"Where's your car anyway?" Rukia asked as she went.

"Oh," Ichigo started, having momentarily forgotten about it. "I parked it around here somewhere…"

"You didn't forget where, did you?" she asked, mock concern entering her voice as she looked up at him slyly.

"Of course not!" he scoffed. "It's…it's around…" he started looking at the few cars parked along the sidewalk, searching for his familiar black one… "Umm…" He then started to nervously pat the pockets of his jeans and jacket before coming upon his set of keys and pulling them out, immediately pressing the button to unlock the car and the listening to the following beeping noise coming from… "There!" he pointed triumphantly to where, a few feet away, his car was parked.

Rukia rolled her eyes and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'idiot'. Ichigo scowled at her lightly but continued his stride until Rukia stopped before the modest building that he remembered to be her apartment.

"This is me." Rukia announced, starting up the steps. "Good luck making it back to your car." she said with a smirk.

"Idiot." Ichigo said, though he was smiling as he looked up at her.

Rukia kept her eyes on his though her body was half turned. "See you tomorrow."

"Heh. Maybe." Ichigo responded, his grin widening. Rukia grinned in return before going up the last steps and opening the door to enter the building. As she turned around to close it, her dark blue eyes met his once more, and he could just make out her smile before she shut the door and disappeared from his view.

Ichigo didn't move or look away from the closed door for almost a full minute, the snowflakes falling on his shoulders and in his bright hair as they went. When he finally snapped out of his reverie because of the ringing of his phone, the smile was still present on his features.

"Hello?" he answered distantly, not having bothered to look at the number before answering.

"_Ichigo!"_ the voice sounded frantic. He immediately tensed, the smile disappearing from his face as his eyebrows knitted together.

"Orihime? What's wrong?" he asked in a hurry. "Did something happen? Are you hurt?"

"_No, I'm fine."_ she spoke quickly. "_It's…it's…"_ her voice became strangled, and Ichigo felt dread begin to pool in his stomach.

"Orihime," he asked in a tightly controlled voice, his hand forming a tight fist at his side. "What happened?"

There was a short pause that seemed forever, only soft sniffing noises coming in between the static. Then she spoke in a very soft, slightly choked voice.

"_It's Chad."_

-x-

The morning after walking home with Ichigo for the second time did not go as Rukia expected.

At first, she had been truthfully looking forward to coming to work. After that night, she had felt so completely at ease with the orange-headed man. She had been almost eager to come to work now, for once forgetting of her exhaustion and desperation and just feeling _good._ Though she still refused to attribute this new and improved mood to the bright-haired man; that didn't change the fact that she'd exited the elevator on the fourth floor with an insult ready at her tongue as she walked over to the office beside her cubicle…

"_He's not there." _Kaien's voice had informed her before her hand reached to knock on the wood.

She had looked at him then back at the door, disbelieving as she reached for he doorknob and twisted it open only to confirm it herself…Ichigo wasn't there.

She'd asked Kaien if he'd gone out somewhere, but the dark-haired man merely shrugged and told her that he hadn't been there all morning. He'd suggested that perhaps he'd gotten sick.

_Impossible._ Rukia quickly rejected the idea. _It took me practically kidnapping him to get him to take half the day off when he was practically dying._ She reasoned mentally. _That can't be it._

But then, what?

It was now 10:45am, and Rukia sat in her cubicle, staring at the screen of her computer without really focusing as her mind ran over the possibilities of _why_ exactly Ichigo wasn't there yet. If there was one thing she'd learned about him during the past months, it was that the man was _never_ late. _Ever. _Not _once._

It must have been bad to make him just not show up like that…

Much as she hated to admit it, even to herself, Rukia knew that she was worried.

_No,_ she snapped at herself. _Not worried, _concerned. That wasn't all that much better…

Rukia released a loud, frustrated sigh. Why couldn't the idiot just show up already so she didn't have to over think things?

Deciding that she'd had enough fruitless thinking (and honestly, she wasn't getting _any_ work done anyhow), Rukia stood up and started to walk.

"Where are _you_ going?" Kaien asked as he saw her, his eyebrows furrowing almost accusingly.

"I'm going to talk to Orihime." she answered truthfully. "I want to ask her something." Before she could go any further, Kaien made her stop yet again.

"Orihime isn't here today." Kaien told her, looking at her oddly.

"What?" Rukia asked, startled. If Ichigo was a freak for attendance, then Orihime was the ultimate queen. She had never known the girl to miss work. "Why? Do you know where she is?"

"Why do you assume _I _would know?"

"_Kaien,"_ Rukia growled, warning him not to try her patience.

"Fine, fine." he waved his hands in a gesture used to soothe horses. "Down, Spirit."

Rukia narrowed her eyes at him.

"She called earlier this morning." Kaien said. "She said she was at the hospital, and she wouldn't be coming in."

Rukia's mouth fell open and she felt something inside her chest tighten. "What? She's not…"

"No, she's not hurt." Kaien supplied the answer for the question he thought she wanted to ask. "She's fine, I think she was there for a friend…Hey, Rukia! Where are you going?"

"I have some stuff to do…The thing…At the place…You know!"

Leaving a very confused Kaien behind, Rukia stepped into the elevator and was on her way. She tried to fight against the rising feeling of nausea as she went.

-x-

Rukia all but ran inside the moment she arrived at the Karakura General Hospital. Truthfully, a part of her anxiousness sprouted from the fact that she was only guessing at the hospital; she hadn't thought to ask Kaien first, but since Karakura General was the only big hospital in town (only a few small clinics besides it), she just went on an impulse. Now that she pushed the doors open, she felt her stomach preparing to drop at news of her having made the wrong guess…

Her spirits instantly lifted when she saw a flash of familiar dark orange hair in the waiting room, and she instantly made her way towards it, evading all the people in her way until she reached the woman. When she spoke, her voice reflected all the anxiety she felt.

"Orihime!" the dark-haired girl grabbed the woman's arm to make her face her. "What happened? Was it an accident? When was it? Is he…?" Rukia trailed off from her flurry of question when he noticed the unmistakable bright orange spikes. "…Ichigo?" she asked, almost in a whisper.

The orange-haired man looked up from where he sat, lifting his head from his hands and looking like he'd definitely seen better days. Rukia recognized his clothes from the night before, although now they appeared twice as wrinkled; his typically messy hair was now in a complete disarray, as if he had been running his hands through it all morning; under his eyes there were conspicuous dark circles.

To summarize, he looked like crap. But he was visibly uninjured.

Rukia felt her shoulders relax, almost like a weight was lifted. "You're not hurt." she stated, her eyes fixed on his hunched over form.

"Rukia?" he asked with an incredulous voice. His tired eyes were wide and his mouth open in surprise. "What are you… What do you mean I'm not hurt?" he rephrased his question as her words processed.

"I-I thought…" Rukia tried to explain herself as her rather hectic thoughts gradually calmed down. "I heard that Orihime wasn't coming in because she was at the hospital. Since you didn't show up for work I thought…" she let the rest of her sentence hang in the air, she didn't need to finish.

Ichigo looked like he was putting together her words with her presence and eventually nodded, his eyes still seeming faraway. "I'm fine…It's…" he started to say, his voice -she noticed- sounded ragged. He ran a hand through his already wild mane, opening and closing his mouth a couple of times with no words coming out.

Rukia turned to the orange-haired woman she'd momentarily forgotten. She lightened the grip that she still had on her arm until it was more of a comforting touch, as she turned her questioning eyes to her. "Orihime…What-?"

She hadn't finished her question when the woman regarded her with watery brown eyes and suddenly threw herself at her. Rukia let out a startled gasp as she found the taller woman's arms wrapped tightly around her, pulling her against her as she buried her face in her shoulder.

"I-it's C-Chad!" Orihime's muffled sobs came as an answer. Her whole frame shook as she cried into Rukia's shoulder, and the petite girl -although she didn't know who this Chad person was- did the only thing she could do and wrapped her own slender arms around the crying redhead. She stood there awkwardly trying to offer whatever comfort she could, even if it was just by being there.

It was about twenty minutes later that Rukia was sitting down in the waiting room, Orihime at one side and Ichigo at the other. The orange-haired female had calmed down after a few minutes and had tearfully attempted to chuckle as she apologized for her behavior before going to sit with Rukia. The raven-head had quickly told her not to worry about it, and tried to make small talk since they sat. It was a good thing that Orihime was so good at talking about anything under any situation, so it actually wasn't as hard as Rukia would have thought.

Orihime was in the middle of describing a rather elaborate dish she had planned on making (oddly enough involving spaguetti and chocolate sauce…) when a man arrived and the girl's attention immediately shifted to him. He had dark hair, straight and parted to frame either side of his face; he was rather skinny for a guy, but held himself with such dignity that she'd never regard him as gangly; and he wore square wire-rimed glasses.

"Uryu!" she instantly exclaimed, practically jumping up to meet him. Rukia watched as the man looked at Orihime, his eyes soft as he did so. Orihime had looked like she was about to fling her arms around him now, but had stopped herself, a faint blush rising to her cheeks as she noticed the three Styrofoam cups held precariously in his hands.

"Here." he spoke, handing her one of the cups before turning to look at the people sitting down. His eyes fell on Rukia for a moment -probably wondering who she was and what she was doing there- then went to Ichigo. "Kurosaki," he spoke the man's last name. Said man raised his head to look at him. "You should at least drink something." The black-haired man said, offering one of the cups.

Ichigo looked at it, then back at the man offering it before speaking. "I don't really want-"

"Take the damn thing, Kurosaki."

The man's tone left no room for argument, and Rukia was shocked to see Ichigo look startled for a split second before complying. She'd never seen anyone but herself speak to Ichigo like that; people were usually to intimidated to even try.

"And…" the man turned his attention back to Rukia. "I don't believe we've met before, Miss…?"

"Oh, this is Rukia." Orihime hurriedly supplied. "She's the intern I had told you about."

"Uryu Ishida." The man said in a proper tone, extending hi hand towards her. "Pleasure to meet you."

Rukia took his hand to shake it, slightly surprised by his politeness. "Are you…?" she began to ask, looking between him and Orihime questioningly.

"He's my fiancé." Orihime declared cheerfully, answering the unspoken question. For a moment, the light seemed to return to her eyes as she placed a hand on Uryu's arm and smiled. But only a moment later she seemed to remember where she was and her expression fell once more.

Rukia saw the black-haired man's composed expression soften as he looked back at his fiancé and put his free hand over hers on his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze.

A moment of silence passed between the four people, and Rukia suddenly felt very out of place. She shouldn't be there in the first place, she didn't even know the guy that these people were worried about. She was just intruding.

"I'm sorry." She said, beginning to stand. "I should g-"

"No."

She was surprised by the sudden voice that stopped her, a hand landing on her wrist. But she was even more surprised by how desperate the voice sounded. Startled, she looked up into Ichigo's eyes beside her.

"Don't go." he said, but it sounded more like a plead than an order. "Stay." his voice barely came over a whisper.

Rukia had to gulp to swallow back the sudden tightness in her throat; not trusting herself to speak, overwhelmed by the look in his eyes, she simply nodded and sat down. She felt Ichigo's grip on her wrist lighten, but his hand didn't move from its place. Then he looked away, his upper body sagging slightly forward as he rested his elbows on his knees and hung his head.

Rukia was shocked; she'd never seen Ichigo so…vulnerable. Ever since she'd met him, he was a proud, standoffish, scowling, bossy and stubborn man. _Well, excluding their very _first_ meeting, that is…_

But now, there was no sign of that man. From his defeated posture to his pleading eyes…He was like a lost child. Rukia felt something in her chest constrict at seeing him this way. She hesitantly moved her free left hand to lightly place it over his, offering her silent support. Ichigo looked up at this action, his eyes meeting hers for a fleeting moment in some sort of understanding before looking back down, some of the tension lessening in his shoulders.

Like that, they waited.

It felt like hours -although it was probably only a couple of hours- before something finally happen. When the young nurse, seeming to be in her twenties, appeared holding a clipboard and a tired expression, everyone was alert.

"How is he? Is he going to make it? Can we see him?" Ichigo immediately jumped up, the questions leaving his mouth in a torrent that left the poor nurse looking slightly taken aback.

Everyone's eyes were on her.

She cleared her throat delicately. "Mr. Sado Yasutora, correct?" she clarified, everyone but Rukia nodded at once. (_Wasn't it 'Chad'?) _"Are you his family?" she questioned.

"We're the only family he has." Ichigo said with finality. The nurse didn't seem in a hurry to argue against him.

"Very well," she nodded to herself. "Mr. Yasutora's condition is delicate. We were able to successfully remove all three bullets-"

Rukia felt herself freeze. _Bullets?_ The man had been _shot_. This had been no mere accident… Her inner musings worked away, drowning out the voice of the nurse as she explained in detail that man's current state.

Finally, "Will he recover?"

It was Uryu who asked, though the others looked like it was the same question they had been thinking but were too afraid to ask. The nurse paused for a moment before answering. "I honestly can't say. We've done all we can, now it's up to him." Her face was regretful as she began to turn away, but was stopped by Ichigo's voice.

"Can we see him?" he asked, taking a step forward as if in anticipation.

"I'm sorry." the nurse shook her head sadly. "That would not be wise." And then she was gone.

Ichigo flopped down back in his chair, almost immediately running his hands through his hair as he stared in disbelief at the floor. On her other side, Rukia heard Orihime begin to cry again, before the sounds became muffled as Uryu held her against himself. Seeing that the girl was already being taken care of, Rukia turned her attention to the orange-haired male.

"Ichigo…" she reached out a tentative hand, putting it on his arm as gently as she could. He didn't stir. But he spoke.

"It's my fault…" he said, his voice so hushed it was more like a whisper; Rukia wondered if she was even meant to heard it. "My fault, my fault…" he kept muttering.

Rukia's eyebrows furrowed. How could it be _his_ fault? The man had been shot…

"Ichigo." she repeated his name, more firmly this time. "Look at me." she said, her voice demanding yet soft.

For once, Ichigo listened without protest. His troubled eyes met hers.

"It's not your fault." she told him, the firmness in her voice leaving no room for doubt. Ichigo began to turn away but she stopped him, cupping her hand under his chin to force him to look at her. He seemed startled by the action but didn't move away. "This isn't your fault, Ichigo." she reinstated confidently.

Ichigo's eyes held hers with uncertainty before falling. "No… It is."

"Ichi-"

"No!" he suddenly screamed, violently shoving her hands away and rising to his feet. Rukia watched with worried eyes as he stood and buried his hands in his hair, clutching it tightly as his face twisted up in pain and frustration. "Damn it!" he cursed through clenched teeth.

Uryu and Orihime watched the whole scene with sad eyes, until Ichigo -after a frustrated growl- took off with furious steps and exited the waiting room, going towards the main exit. Rukia waited to see Orihime and Uryu's reactions, but they didn't budge; so she got to her feet and went after him.

It didn't take her long to catch up with him.

He had stopped by the water fountain that bubbled with ironic pleasantness as decoration at the front of the hospital. He was pacing back and forth angrily, his teeth gritted and his fists clenched tightly as he huffed.

"Ichigo!" Rukia snapped him out of his furor, hurrying over to him. "Stop! Blaming yourself isn't going to change anything. I'm sure your friend-"

"No! You don't get it!" he snapped, looking desperate as his arms clutched her upper arms. "This _is_ my fault. All of it! I dragged him into this in he first place- I never should have…He…_Fuck! _This wasn't supposed to happen!"

Rukia felt her eyes soften as she watched him. "Whatever you did," she spoke, grabbing his attention. "You didn't mean for this to happen. Your friend did whatever he did willingly, not under any obligation. You can't be held responsible for anything his actions might have led him to."

She couldn't begin to comprehend what was going on, what Ichigo meant about dragging his friend and possibly causing the situation he was in now…But none of that mattered. For some reason that was beyond her understanding or questioning, she couldn't stand to see Ichigo look so helpless and vulnerable. She wanted to do all she could to help erase that.

"This _isn't_ your fault." she ground out at last, looking him straight in the eye, her arms still held roughly in his hands.

"…How could you know that?" he finally asked, his eyes turning away and his hands falling from her arms to his sides, before she caught them by the wrist.

"Because I know you." she suddenly said. "I know you would not let any harm befall your friends so long as you could help it." She didn't know where the bold words had come from, but as she said them, she knew them to be completely true.

Ichigo's eyes were slightly wide and glistening slightly as he looked at her. He was surprised at her words, but didn't defy them. Rukia slowly let go of his wrists, not dropping the eye contact. The two remained locked in their gaze for a long moment before being interrupted by a sound.

The sound of Rukia's stomach to be precise.

She felt the heat rise to her cheeks as an awkward pause followed the noise. Then…

"Hungry?" Ichigo finally asked, the beginning of a smirk pulling at his lips.

Rukia self-consciously folded her arms over her stomach and lightly glared at Ichigo. "Shut up!"

"Just asking. It kinda sounded like you might be, but I guess it was just my imagination." Ichigo said, a full-on smirk coming on as the mocking edge entered his voice in the suddenly lightened atmosphere.

Rukia opened her mouth to spit some creative comeback at him before realizing something. It was the first time she saw even the semblance of a smile on his face ever since seeing him in the waiting room. It almost felt like some heaviness was removed from her chest, seeing the light return to his previously tortured eyes.

"What the hell are you smiling about?" Ichigo crossed his arms and frowned at her questioningly.

It was only then that Rukia noticed that a smile had indeed crept unto her lips without her knowledge or permission, and she immediately moved to wipe it away. "Nothing, just that a person can only contain her laughter for so long when in the presence of all that clown hair."

"Why you-" Ichigo muttered as his eyebrow ticked in annoyance. "Hey!" he called as he saw her turn and start to walk away. "Were are you going?"

"To get some food." She said over her shoulder. "I'm hungry." she stated, as if they hadn't had proof of that a mere moment ago. "You coming?" she asked, in a way that made it sound like she already knew his answer.

"The cafeteria here sucks." was all Ichigo said as he quickly jogged to catch up with her.

"Like you're used to any better."

"Of course I-" Ichigo paused, taking in her words. "What are you implying?"

"Nothing." she replied innocently shrugging. After a moment of skeptic silence from Ichigo's side, she added, "Just that you probably can't cook worth jack."

Ichigo gaped. "I can too!" he defended.

Rukia snorted. "I wouldn't put money on that."

"Oh so you want to bet?"

"I don't think that'd be fair to you."

"Oh yeah?"

"That's right."

"I'll show you good cooking, you-"

Their scrapple went on the rest of the way to the cafeteria, all the while Rukia couldn't help begin to feel more at ease. At least for now, she could help Ichigo, even if it was just by distracting him for a few precious moments.

* * *

**A/N: Poor Chad. Don't worry, he's not dead...just gravely injured...What? It's not as bad! :P**

**Anyway, for those wondering: no, Chad getting shot was no accident or coincidence. It does have to do with the plot...of which you may or may not find out more of in the next chapter. I'll give you a hint (in case you hadn't caught on): It has to do with what Ichigo has been researching and the reason why his job had been on the line in the first place. I'll get more into that later, this chapter was more touchy-feely XD**

**So I wanted to ask: How are you guys liking the story so far? I know it's been going a bit slow, but is it too slow? Could it use a little more action? More romance? Is it going good or has interest dropped? I'd like you to be honest and answer in a review (or PM if you like) I'd just like to know if you really want me to continue this story, and if so, what should I improve. I look forward to your answers :)**

**As for these people:**

**_falconrukichi, xXBleachluverXx, SuperRukia, Lunar, ichirukitard, shnizlefritz, Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky, Mari Kia Resha Aishiteru, MN, AwesomeAnimeStarIchiRuki, jenaca, ali6220, SupaCrazee, _and_ kyurikochan _**

**Thanks a ton for your reviews!:D I send a virtual cookie to all of you in gratitude^^  
**


	9. Good News

The hospital cafeteria turned out to be a rather depressing place after all.

The pale walls around them seemed to match the bland expressions on most of the people present. Most of them sat on tables by themselves, their gazes fixed on a spot on the table only they could see, shoulders slumped in a defeated position, and many sporting dark circles under their eyes. A few people sat in groups of two or three, but it was a rare exception; and even they seemed meek and exhausted.

In fact, taking a quick survey of her surroundings, Rukia could hardly see anyone actually eating. A few people picked at their food absentmindedly, never actually consuming it; while most didn't even bother to pretend and left their plates and cups untouched.

A sigh escaped her. It was really depressing to be in a hospital.

Turning her gaze forward, she saw the orange-haired man seated across from her wasn't too different from the rest in the room; his hand idly playing with the tiny straw in his coffee while his other arm rested on the tabletop. His brown eyes were fixed on the dark surface of the liquid, watching the ripples created by the movement of the straw without much interest.

Rukia frowned. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to play with your food?" she said disapprovingly.

After arriving at the cafeteria, Rukia had gotten herself a sandwich while her companion opted just for a black coffee, despite her not-so-subtle suggestions that he should probably get some solid food. They had sat down continuing a slight banter, but the gloomy mood had quickly taken its toll on the spiky-haired male.

Ichigo looked up, blinking as if she had just woken him up from a nap before registering her words and allowing his face to resume his trademark scowl. "Who's playing with their food?"

Rukia quirked an eyebrow and looked pointedly at his untouched coffee then back up at him.

Ichigo grunted, muttering something about it "technically not being food". Rukia rolled her eyes at his behavior but didn't comment any further. Swallowing a bite of her sandwich, she gave an exaggerated sigh and leaned back in her chair, patting her stomach and closing her eyes for effect.

"Ah, I'm stuffed." she announced with what almost sounded like a whine.

Ichigo raised an orange eyebrow at the half-eaten sandwich left on the basket in front of Rukia. The black-haired woman opened one eye, glancing at the leftovers of her food and pursing her lips before looking up at him.

"I don't think I can eat anymore." she declared.

Ichigo gaped. "You've got to be kidding me!" he exclaimed, despite himself. "That was barely enough to fill a grown adult as a whole. And you only ate half!" he said accusingly.

"Well I'm, already full." she said with a shrug.

"How is that possible? I know you're a skinny, pint-sized, miniature little-" he was cut off as he received an icy glare from across the table. "But even so, you couldn't possibly-"

"Believe what you want." Rukia interrupted, holding her hands up in an appeasing gesture. "But I know for a fact that I am done. It's too bad this whole sandwich half will have to go to waste…" she trailed off with regret coating her voice. "That whole entire half of a sandwich, which could probably feed so many people suffering from hunger…If only there was someone who could eat it and not let it go to waste…!" she raised her voice theatrically near the end, putting a hand to her forehead as if she were going to swoon before looking at Ichigo out of the corner of her eye.

"No way." he stated flatly. "I'm not falling for that." he crossed his arms before him to form an 'x' shape.

"Falling for what?" Rukia asked innocently. "I'm merely lamenting the loss of a perfectly good sandwich because no one in the vicinity could possibly eat it. It's actually truly sad. Do you have any idea how many people are starving as we speak? And to think we'll just throw away something like this-"

"Stop saying 'we'!" Ichigo cut in. "_I'm_ not the idiot who ordered too much food for a midget-sized stomach. The only one wasting anything here is you."

As if she hadn't heard a word he said, Rukia sighed deeply. "Oh, all the poor children right now…Cold and alone, searching for something to eat…Just wishing for that…one…piece…of…bread…"

"FINE!" Ichigo snapped irritably, seizing the previously discarded sandwich from the basket on the table with more force than necessary. "You're so fucking twisted…" he mumbled as he took a bite of the already-munched on bread.

Rukia allowed the corner of her mouth to twist up. Sometimes it took a little effort to get the man to do something…In this case, eat.

"Really," she scoffed, feeling the absurdity of the situation. "Men are usually the ones scraping for any meager leftover…"

Ichigo glared at her through a mouthful. "Shut up." he managed to say after swallowing forcibly.

Despite his protests, Rukia could clearly see the gusto with which he devoured the uneaten half of her food. She was willing to bet that this was his first real meal ever since he had heard about his friend's situation. She couldn't say she blamed him though; if she were in his position…

Shaking herself out of those thoughts, she felt her eyebrows knit when she saw Ichigo suddenly pause his devouring, stopping to look at the sandwich in his hand like it had sprouted a face or something. He gulped loudly and…_Was he blushing?_

Ichigo looked at the small portion that was left of the sandwich that had been Rukia's. The same sandwich that Rukia had eaten half of. The same sandwich that Rukia had _bitten_ and had had in her mouth, where…

He gulped, feeling the temperature rise with his thoughts.

"Something wrong, Ichigo?" Rukia asked strangely.

'_I technically just kissed Rukia…' _

"Hey!" Rukia waved a hand in front of his face, clearly annoyed. "What the hell, idiot? Are you feeling sick or something?"

Ichigo shook his head immediately to banish the childish notion from his mind. _'What am I? In middle school?'_ And even so, the notion itself was ridiculous concerning their…_history._

"N-no, I just…" he searched for a quick excuse. "…thought I saw…a fly."

Rukia's face deadpanned; Ichigo chuckled awkwardly. There was a moment of silence before Rukia shook her head, muttering something that sounded like "_Men…"_. Ichigo continued to eat the unfinished sandwich, forcefully ignoring his earlier childish thoughts (along with the tiny voice in his head that told him _'It's nothing you haven't done with her before'_) as he chewed away. In the meantime, Rukia reached for her previously ignored juice carton and went to open it.

It took a few minutes of her attempts at sticking the straw in to fail and for Ichigo to finish gulping down the sandwich for him to level a look at the raven-head. Rukia was frowning at the juice box, her eyes narrowed in concentration as she tried, once again in vain, to poke a the straw through the hole.

"Need help?" Ichigo couldn't stop the condescending note in his voice even if he'd wanted to…which he didn't.

Rukia turned her narrowed eyes on him. "What makes you think that?"

"You've been poking at that thing for like five minutes now without any results." He indicated with his finger to the juice box.

"This box is faulty." she replied almost immediately, her face defiant.

Ichigo let out a dry laugh. "Yeah right. Nice try. If you need help you just have to ask, ya' know." The smug smirk on his face as he said so caused Rukia's glare to intensify.

"...Fine." she growled after a minute, setting down the carton along with the straw and folding her arms. She turned her nose in the air and shut her eyes. "You try then, let's see if you can…" She squinted one eye open as the subtle sound of plastic being poked through reached her ears. "…open it." she finished her sentence lamely as Ichigo presented the juice box, straw sticking out, ready to be drunk from.

Rukia resentfully took the carton from him and sipped from it, allowing the cool orange liquid to fill her mouth and rush down her throat refreshingly; grumbling a "thanks" with her lips still sealed around the straw.

Ichigo leaned back in his seat watching her drink, not noticing when his smirk eased into a soft smile.

Rukia paused in her drinking and looked at him sideways, quirking an eyebrow as she noticed the calm smile on his face while he looked at her. Instead of questioning it for once, she merely allowed her own lips to twitch upwards in a returning smile.

It seemed Ichigo noticed just then that he had been caught staring and smiling, and he quickly straightened in his seat, smile falling as he hastily cleared his throat and averted his eyes. "We should probably go back…The others must be wondering where we are."

Rukia wasn't sure where the feeling of disappointment came from, but she felt her own smile disappear as she nodded. "Right." she stood, gathering hers and Ichigo's garbage and throwing it away in the nearest trash can before the two set off to go back to the waiting room.

Once they arrived, they saw the tired faces of Orihime and Uryuu, now joined by a third individual that Rukia did not recognize, but judging by the way Ichigo stopped short and immediately tensed, he did know the man.

All three people turned to look at them upon their arrival, the third -a lanky silver-haired man- standing up to meet them with a sickening smile on his face.

"Ichigo!" he greeted with unusual familiarity as the orange-haired man's scowl deepened considerably. "We were just talkin' about ya'!" the smiling man informed him. "Nothin' bad though, I promise!"

"What are you doing here, Ichimaru?" Ichigo paid no mind to any pleasantries and spoke in a tightly controlled voice, the underlying anger just barely seeping through. His glare was burning with full force, however.

"My, my." Ichimaru gave him a look of mock surprise, before regaining his smile. "Not very polite, are we, Ichigo? I guess it can be understood, given the circumstances and all."

Ichigo's hands clenched into fists at his sides. "What do you want?"

"Ah, always so serious." Ichimaru lamented. "I'm just doing my job here. A member of the police getting gunned down is headline news; you should know that, people are morbid like that. I was sorry to hear it was our dear Sado, however. We only met briefly but he seemed like such an eager young man… It'd be a shame if he died."

The light tone in which he spoke contrasted with the dark nature of his words. Sensing how Ichigo would react before he did, Rukia acted quickly and put a calming hand on his arm, taking a step forward.

"I think that's enough." she spoke up, both to the surprise of Ichigo and the silver-haired man.

The latter then turned to look at her, seemingly surprised, like he'd only just noticed her presence. It was then that Rukia took a good look at him. He was tall -taller than Ichigo- and skinny, his limbs long and languid. His skin was a pale color and his hair an unnatural hue of silver with lilac tones. She couldn't see the color of his eyes, for they were tightly shut as he smiled that eerie smile he'd had since she saw him. There was something unsettling about him; about his smile, about _him_. Rukia was reminded of a serpent toying with its prey.

He seemed to have been doing an equally thorough analysis of her, and he even leaned down to inspect her more closely, his smile turning into a look of light surprise as he did. Rukia had to fight the urge to step back, away from him.

"What's this cute lil' thing?" he asked cheerfully, turning back to look at Ichigo. "Is she new? Where have you been hiding her?"

Rukia felt slightly sick at his words, but did her best to keep her face neutral and her stance steady.

"She's none of your business." Ichigo said in a voice that was deadly serious, taking a step forward and lightly pushing Rukia back to stand between her and the silver-haired man, who only chuckled in response.

"Ah, relax, relax!" Ichimaru said lightly. "I'm not planning to steal her away or anything." He moved to look around Ichigo and meet Rukia's eyes, sending a chill down her spine. "She's not that cute."

There was a moment of tense silence as Ichigo and Ichimaru stared each other off, before the silver-haired man straightened up and lifted his arms in apparent defeat. "Ah, I see this is a bad time for you. How insensitive of me." He didn't look regretful. "I'll just come back later for that interview. The front page can wait a little longer." he turned to Rukia. "It was nice meeting you, I hope we can see each other again soon." He told her, his words carrying an uncomfortable sense of foreboding that made her barely suppress a shudder. With that, he turned and started to walk away, waving a hand lazily over his shoulder and turning his face slightly as he spoke once more. "Bye, bye!"

Then he was gone. Rukia let go a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding as she saw him disappear behind dark-paneled doors, his words resonating inside her mind: _'I hope we can see each other soon.'_

"Who was that man?" she asked, suppressing a slight tremble in her voice while Ichigo glared at the spot where he'd been for a moment longer before turning to look down at her.

"Gin Ichimaru." he spoke, the darkened scowl still upon his face. "He's a reporter for Las Noches."

Rukia nodded, recalling the name of the other high-ranking newspaper in Karakura. She knew that as members of competing newspapers there would naturally be some tension between the reporters…But the dark atmosphere and the feeling of what could almost be called _fear_ just from that other man's presence were past work rivalry. Not to mention, the look in Ichigo's eyes as he had glared at the other man would have been the very reason for the origin of the phrase 'if looks could kill'. She searched Ichigo's eyes for some form of answer but could find nothing as the brown orbs hardened into an unreadable expression.

"Kurosaki," Uryuu spoke up, the slender man coming to his feet and pulling up Orihime -who was clinging to his arm- with him. "We're going to go home now. They'll call us as soon as anything changes. Will you be okay here by yourself?" the black-haired man asked, his voice not betraying any emotion, despite his words.

Ichigo seemed to relax slightly. "Ché, I don't need you worrying about me." he smirked slightly, returning to himself.

Uryuu narrowed his blue eyes at him as light reflected off his glasses. "We'll leave you to it, then. You probably should get going soon too; you can't do anything for him right now."

Uryuu's words seemed to strike something in Ichigo, but the former man either didn't notice or didn't mind. Rukia unconsciously tightened her hand on his arm -which she had yet to remove since the meeting with Ichimaru; whether for his reassurance or her own she didn't know-.

"I'll see you later, Rukia." Orihime said, smiling at the shorter girl as she allowed herself to be pulled away by her fiancé. Rukia smiled back and waved at the couple, the two waving back at her before disappearing out the exit, leaving her and Ichigo alone.

Rukia turned to look up at him, and was surprised to find his own gaze already on her. His eyes seemed to be holding her in a certain scrutiny, almost as if he was trying to figure something out.

Then Ichigo spoke up. "Thanks for…" he paused to clear his throat. "You know, staying…You didn't have to." he turned away and reached up to scratch the back of his head as he spoke.

Rukia felt her hand move down his arm as she offered him a tentative smile. "It's alright. Uryuu is nice." she said, referring to meeting his friend.

Ichigo scoffed. "Heh. He's just polite to impress Orihime. He's nothing but a stuck up, arrogant, smart-mouthed, sissy prick."

Rukia looked thoughtful for a moment. "So he's like you?"

"What? NO!" Ichigo immediately exclaimed in an outburst inappropriate for the waiting room at a hospital. "I'm no sissy!"

Rukia nodded and folded her arms, in the process taking her hand off Ichigo's arm. He missed the small portion of warmth almost instantly but hid it well.

"So you agree about everything else?" Rukia asked, a smirk playing at her lips.

"No!"

"Umm, sir…" a meek looking girl clad in a nurse outfit with her dark hair braided down her back came up to them. "I'm afraid you are not supposed to yell in here. If you cannot lower your voice, I will have to ask you to leave."

"Nice going, fool." Rukia muttered beside him nonchalantly, making him gape and turn to look at her.

"You-!"

"Sir," the nurse interrupted, her tone calm but dangerously hard. "Please control your voice."

"Eh…right." Ichigo lowered his head shamefully, while Rukia turned away to hide her smirk. "I'll do that."

"Thank you." the nurse nodded before walking away, leaving a very embarrassed Ichigo.

The orange-haired man turned to glare at the petite girl beside him as her snickering reached his ears. "You think this is funny?"

His annoyance only made her laughter increase and he intensified his glare, though for some reason he found himself fighting to control the twitching of his lips. He settled for crossing his arms over his chest and stubbornly looking away. Still, he found that he couldn't remain quite so tense as he heard her chuckles. It was an odd thing, being able to relax for no particular reason.

_There IS a reason for it._ A voice in the back of his head quickly interrupted his line of thought. He quickly shook his head and with it the sound of the annoying voice.

"Let's just go." he said as Rukia's laughter died down. "I'm sure you have things to get back to."

She looked up at him and he felt like she was analyzing his words, or analyzing _him_; as if she was checking to see if he was telling the truth. Though in this case, it was more like she was checking if he was truly okay with what he said. After a moment, she gave him a simple nod.

"Will you go to work tomorrow?" she asked as they walked together towards the exit.

"Why?" he replied as he casually held the glass door open for her. "You gonna miss me?" he felt a slight grin surfacing.

"You wish."

-x-

Rukia didn't know whether to be surprised or not when the next morning, she arrived to find Ichigo diligently working in his office, bright and early. From what she'd seen yesterday, she'd thought that he would be absent yet again.

But apparently not. She was actually relieved in knowing that he was well enough to be back.

Perhaps it was that relief mixed with a sense of leftover worry that when the time for her lunch break rolled around she knocked on his office and after his usual disgruntled "Come in" she opened the door to his office and asked,

"Hey, Ichigo, want to have lunch today?"

The orange-haired man looked up from the screen of his computer, having been apparently in great concentration as he read something before he turned at her question. "Actually, I'm pretty busy. I'd thought I'd-"

"You're not skipping lunch, Ichigo." she interrupted him before he could finish, speaking with finality as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Ichigo frowned at her. "I want to get a lot of important things done. I don't have time to-"

"To eat?" she cut in yet again, adding an eye roll this time. "Come on, you have to eat sometime. It'll be my treat." she included a smirk this time, seeing him perk up at her last words.

"Maybe I could have a bite."

And that was how twenty minutes later the two found themselves seated at the table of the nearest fast food eating greasy hamburgers and sipping soda loudly amongst the background noise of people ordering food and the employees shouting instructions at each other.

"Classy choice." Ichigo commented in between bites.

Rukia looked up at him, pausing to swallow before speaking. "Not what you had in mind, eh? Sorry to disappoint." she grinned slyly before taking a large bite of her burger.

"Nah. I'm just surprised actually." he said thoughtfully.

At this, Rukia looked up with mild curiosity. "Surprised, how?"

He shrugged, not really sure of the answer himself. "I guess I didn't take you for the burger type of girl." He said with a slight smirk.

Rukia raised an eyebrow. "And what were you expecting?" She suddenly looked very interested.

"Dunno. Something like salads, soups and vegetables. Small proportions." he said, fighting to keep a straight face.

Rukia narrowed her violet eyes at him. "Are you implying something?"

"Nothing at all." he said innocently. "It's just that I had a theory that a poor diet might have been the cause for your stunted growth. My dad's a doctor, I've seen this happen a lot with-"

Ichigo's words were cut off as an a wad of napkins was chucked with more force than he would have thought possible and with unnervingly accurate aim at his face. As the napkins fell harmlessly into his lap, a pair of murderous violet eyes were revealed. Ichigo restrained the grin that threatened to take over his features, if only to prevent some sort of heavier object being hurled in his direction.

The rest of the lunch went by uneventfully, filled with casual conversation and periodic bouts of banter. As the two started to walk out side by side when they were done, Ichigo lightly teasing Rukia about her massive appetite after having witnessed her finish off her own food as well as most of his fries, he mentally noted that in the last weeks or so things had gotten much more comfortable between him and Rukia. Or rather, _he_ had gotten more comfortable. It was strange, because in a sense he had always felt that he could easily relax around her, but at the same time he had felt strained.

He realized now that he himself had been causing the strain by trying too hard to keep her strictly at arms length. Given the circumstances of their first meeting, he had been instantly wary of her when she suddenly showed up at his workplace. His immediate reaction had been to pretend he didn't know her, while later on he simply tried to push her away. Even after they had come to terms and agree to be friendly with each other, he had been almost subconsciously trying to stay at what he considered to be a safe distance.

He playfully scowled at her as she made a remark about him having a 'girly appetite for someone so big', and he thought he knew the reason why he had been acting like that before.

It was scary. The way he clicked with her so easily, their interactions feeling so completely natural even if they had only known each other for a relatively short time, it was a bit scary for him; someone who was used to finding it difficult to fit in with people in the first place. His permanent scowl and unusual hair had always had a knack for keeping people away, and his less than developed social skills were no help. But somehow, even on that first night were he had met her in a closet of all places, talking with her and just being around her felt like they'd been doing it for years.

Maybe he had been stupid, trying to fight against that feeling. Regardless of that, as of recently he had found himself giving up on the attempt altogether. Especially after the previous day at the hospital…She hadn't done much, she hadn't even offered many words of comfort or even tried to pry about the situation, she was just _there._ And in that moment it had felt like that was all he needed.

That was when he finally accepted it. It had been inevitable since the beginning, but only then had Ichigo accepted it. His relationship with Rukia might not have been a very conventional one, but somehow he knew that it was _right_.

"Oi, what are you-?" he started to ask as he got into the driver's seat of his car.

On the passenger's seat, Rukia rubbed at her left eye with almost furious fervor, gritting her teeth as she did so.

"Stop doing that!" Ichigo scolded. "You're hurting yourself, idiot."

"I've just got something…in my eye…" she grunted as she continued to rub purposefully.

The orange-haired man felt his brows furrow. "Don't rub it like that! Stop," Seeing that she wasn't listening to him, he reached over and pulled her hand away from her face, keeping his hold lightly around her wrist as he looked at her face. "Let me see." he instructed. Rukia seemed to consider this for a minute before finally turning her face to him.

Ichigo leaned across his seat and, letting go of her wrist, he used his hand to place his fingers on the side of her face, firmly but gently angling it to get a better view of the bothersome eye. It was predictably red and watery, irritated from whatever the cause was for her discomfort as well as her own harsh rubbing. He leaned closer, as far as the seating would allow him, to see what was the source of the problem; Rukia sat in complete stillness, hardly breathing as he tipped her face slightly downwards and looked intently.

A moment later, he spotted the source of her problem hanging precariously in between the edge of her lower lid and the white of her eye. Using the hand on her face to hold it steady and reaching up with his free hand, he carefully pulled on the soft skin right under her left eye, hearing only a slight intake of breath from her as he did so.

"Hold still." he advised just as she began to squirm. Surprisingly, she became still under his touch. It seemed that time held still for a moment, as he went about the task with impossible care and precision. "There." he declared after a moment, holding up the irksome black eyelash on the tip of his finger for her to see.

After blinking rapidly a few times to clear away the redness and excess moisture, Rukia's eyes moved to see the lash with mild surprise. Ichigo's own eyes left the tiny hair and went to see the woman's face, and he saw the slight awe in her features before noticing a fading pinkness on her face.

And it was like he was suddenly made aware of the position the situation. He still had one hand carefully holding her face in place, while his face was so close to hers that he could see the intricate mixture of blues and violets in those large thick-framed orbs of hers.

He pulled back immediately and cleared his throat awkwardly, fighting down the sudden redness in his own cheeks. "Err, let's go back then." he said, hastily moving to wipe the eyelash on his jeans before being stopped by a pair of dainty hands holding his wrist in place.

"Wait!" Rukia said, snapping out of her previous silence. "My eyelash!"

Ichigo stared at her in confusion before she pulled his hand towards herself and used one slender finger to carefully pick up the eyelash. Once she had it, she let go of his arm and inspected it closely.

"What the hell do you want that for?" Ichigo asked, the scowl returning to his features.

"To make a wish, what else?" she looked at him like he was stupid…Like _he_ was stupid!

"Oh don't tell me you believe in that stuff." he rolled his eyes exasperatedly. "It's all a load of bullshit for people who have nothing better to do than wait for shooting stars or falling eyelashes and hope that'll fix all their problems."

Rukia gave him an annoyed look. "_Or_ it's just a harmless way of allowing people to have a little hope. Sometimes a little hope is what someone needs for that little push to be able to do what they have to and reach their goals." She said, looking somewhat thoughtful

"That's stupid." Ichigo said bluntly. "It's no use sitting around waiting for some sign that might never come for you to go and do something. If someone wants something then they just have to do what they have to, to get it."

Instead of arguing, Rukia stared at him as if she were analyzing him for a moment, and without warning, a soft smile graced her lips. "You're right."

"Damn right I- wait a second, did you just _agree_ on something with me? Without so much as a witty reply or rude comment?" Ichigo asked incredulously.

Rukia moved to wipe away the eyelash on her jeans as he had been about to do earlier. "Don't get used to it. Everyone has a moment in which they are right about something…Even you."

"What do you mean '_even you'_?" He gave her an irritated look.

Rukia ignored him and finished wiping her hand on the fabric of her jean, sitting back with an almost content smile as she folded her arms over her chest. Ichigo glared at her without any force before she turned to him with a questioning look.

"Aren't you going to start the car?"

-x-

"Hell yeah!"

Kaien pumped a fist in the air exuberantly as he cheered out loud; fortunately, his behavior had come to be expected and no more than a few heads turned in his direction.

Ichigo and Rukia were just arriving on the fourth floor when they came upon the spectacle. Beside Kaien, Rangiku was leaning against the thin wall of his cubicle grinning widely and beside the two stood Orihime, a quieter smile on her face. For a short instant Rukia recalled the orange-haired woman's crying face from the previous day, but quickly banished the image, focusing on the present. More specifically, on Kaien's latest outburst.

"What are you so happy about?" Rukia asked as she came up to him, arms folded over her chest as she raised an eyebrow. She was barely aware that Ichigo walked up to the small group as well, instead of heading straight into his office.

"I'm merely rejoicing over the fact that I will have an all-expense-paid night at the prestigious Gotei Hotel this weekend for me and Miyako!" Kaien declared like he had won some sort of competition.

Rukia looked at him incredulously, her mouth falling open. "No way! How did you manage that?"

"We all did," supplied Rangiku, cutting in swiftly as she remained in her relaxed position. "Seretei is giving all the employees a night at the Gotei this Saturday, for the Christmas party."

Rukia took a moment and recalled that indeed the Christmas party would be held at the Gotei Hotel's ballroom. But she didn't remember seeing anything about a free stay…

Rangiku must have seen the question in her eyes because she quickly added, "We just got the email saying so. I'm surprised; last year it was just some cheap three-star place, Seretei has really upgraded." the blonde smiled with a slight faraway look, probably mentally envisioning how the Gotei would compare to that 'cheap three-star place'. Kaien still looked giddy with the news.

Rukia rolled her eyes at their excitement, heading to her own cubicle while absentmindedly hearing Orihime ask Ichigo if he'd gotten the email as well and the orange-haired man's vague response that he hadn't checked, which launched a small outburst of disbelief from the brown-eyed girl and a flurry of comments from the other two employees. Their lively conversation played as background sounds as Rukia started her computer and went about her routine, logging in to her email first…

Her eyes widened as she clicked on one of the more recent received mails, and only widened further as she read through it.

She was barely aware of the four pairs of eyes that followed her questioningly as she wordlessly got up from her seat and started to make her way wedging between the many cubicles on the fourth floor and headed towards the elevator. She didn't turn as she heard Kaien call her name and ask where she was headed to; she only stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the fifth floor, keeping her eyes on the lit numbers at the top of the elevator as the doors slid closed.

"Kiyone," Rukia said the moment the doors opened and she stepped through. The bobbed-hair secretary turned to look at her and smiled.

"Hey Rukia!" the girl greeted amiably. "Did you have an appointment to see Mr. Ukitake?" she asked with a quirked eyebrow, wondering if she'd somehow forgotten.

_Sentaro hasn't said anything either so maybe _he_ forgot too…_ he dirty blonde started to reason mentally as the raven-head shook her head.

"No, but I was hoping I could see him if he had a moment…" Rukia asked hopefully.

_That stupid idiot Sentaro probably didn't tell me just to be bother me,_ Kiyone inwardly continued, her face beginning to scrunch up in annoyance.

"Err…Kiyone…"

_He's probably trying to get on Mr. Ukitake's good side by making me look bad! That oaf!_

"Kiyone…"

_But I'm on to him now! Next time I'll just check in Mr. Ukitake's personal agenda and I'll know even before that stupid Sentaro-_

"Kiyone!" Rukia finally had to shout to snap the blonde secretary out of her musings.

"Oh, Rukia. You're still here."

Rukia resisted the urge to slap her palm against her own forehead.

"I'm sorry, I'll alert Mr. Ukitake right away that you're here." Kiyone said, momentarily putting aside her plotting to pick up the phone and do her job.

Rukia was surprised when a few moments later the door to Mr. Ukitake's office opened and the white-haired man himself stepped out, smiling.

"Hello Kuchiki! What a nice surprise." he said, looking warmly at her. Rukia found herself smiling back quickly as she usually did whenever she was in her boss's presence.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Ukitake." she greeted politely.

"Come inside, Kiyone says you wanted to see me." he quickly waved her into his office, lightly shutting the door behind them and going to take his seat behind his desk while Rukia sat on one of the chairs opposite. "So, to what do I owe this visit?"

"Well…" Rukia hesitated for a moment before she started. "It's about an email I got, I was confused," she began to fidget with her fingers. "It said something about this weekend…"

"Ah," Ukitake nodded in understanding before she had to go on any further. "I should have figured you would ask about that."

Rukia smiled sheepishly. "It's just that, it seemed odd." she admitted. "I'm only an intern, why would the company pay for me to stay at the hotel as well?"

"Yes," Ukitake said. "You were right to be suspicious. Seretei doesn't normally go giving interns free nights at one of the best hotels in Karakura after all." he chuckled lightly before leaning resting his elbows on the wooden desk and leaning forward. "It still doesn't actually."

Rukia felt her eyebrows furrow slightly. So it _was_ a mistake?

"It was no mistake." Ukitake said quickly, as if reading her thoughts. He paused then, a sigh escaping his lips, the hint of that gentle smile never leaving his face. "I had hoped to surprise you at the Christmas party, but I suppose it can't be helped…"

Rukia found herself leaning forward in her seat, her interest piqued. "Mr. Ukitake…?"

Said man met her eyes and a bright smile suddenly lit up his face.

"You're no longer an intern, Rukia."

* * *

**A/N:Yay another chapter! This one didn't take much over a month did it? And in my own defense, it would have come out even earlier if I hadn't had finals week(s) . *shudders* But as soon as I was done I got to work here! This chapter was a bit shorter than the others but I liked the content as it was, so I didn't push anymore into it. **

**Also: You know you're really invested in your own story when you start to laugh and squeal in delight when you make something good happen. Rukia isn't an intern anymore! I was so happy for her...which is stupid because I'm writing the story...And this isn't even real. This isn't even real _within_ a story that isn't real (the actual Bleach). Lol, i love it anyways haha  
**

**Anyway, thanks to: _unknownkyitty, NightDiamond358, forever-will-love2112, Poisonfish, 1999, MN, ireadtoomuch139, SupaCrazee, MONST3R, blackwingsgreeneyes, KatLady13, xXBleachluverXx, jenaca, falconrukichi, Kaoru Kato, dArkAnge04, ali6220, Fire331, shnizlefritz, morte-hourglass_**

**Waah you guys outdid yourselves with your latest reviews, so triple thanks!:'D Most of you did what I asked you to and answered what you wanted me to change/alter/improve in the story, and the answer was pretty much a general consensus: more romance. **

**Hahaha bunch of fluff lovers XD Don't worry, I know I'm taking it really slow with the romance, but it's because I wanted to play it in an IchiRuki fashion. You know they've been dancing around it for over 400 chapters in the manga, so they're not very quick on that lol But don't worry, I'm not as slow as Kubo. Things are going to start heating up soon...And by soon I mean possibly-next-chapter-soon ;) But hold your horses, I'm not going to make them magically be in love all of a sudden, I hate that in stories, so you'll have to bear with me :P We'll get there, don't worry. I just hope that you enjoy the journey there ^.^**

**So don't hesitate to comment on this chapter! Reviews really make my day :D Oh and, I got TWENTY reviews this chapter; I'm not sure but I think that's a personal record!...Would it be too much to ask to see if we can top that? *wink*wink* **

**Hehe, 'til next time! It's going to be the big 10!_  
_**


	10. Roommates?

Rukia couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips as she carefully folded the necessary items of clothes and put them away in a small bag. Sure some might think that packing two days in advance for a one-night stay was a bit too early, but she couldn't help herself. She was practically bubbling with excitement; it was all she could do to keep from bursting into song- or at least whistling.

_-Flashback-_

"_You're no longer an intern, Rukia"_

_There was a pause._

_Rukia sat without moving, while Ukitake stared at her, waiting for a reaction. She clenched and unclenched her hands over the fabric of her jeans as she wrapped her mind around his words._

"_Does this mean…?" she couldn't finish the question._

_Ukitake chuckled good-naturedly. "Starting next Tuesday, you'll be a full time writer for the Seretei Daily."_

_Rukia's mouth fell open as she tried to calm herself down. She hardly allowed herself to believe what he was saying…but it was true._

_She'd done it._

_Later, after excusing herself from Ukitake's office she felt like she practically floated back to the fourth floor. _

_She hadn't really planned on telling everyone about it, but people were bound to ask questions when she showed up after pulling a disappearing act with a huge stupid smile on her face._

"…_Are you feeling okay?" Kaien had jokingly asked._

_Rukia had snapped up to him and couldn't help but grin widely. "I got the job." was all she said, and they didn't need any further explanation._

_Kaien along with Rangiku and Orihime erupted into congratulatory squeals, the two females hurrying to hug Rukia, while he playfully ruffled her hair. From her place wedged between the two taller women and their 'assets', Rukia sneaked a glance up and noticed the orange-haired man who stood there with his hands in his pockets, his brown eyes seemingly sparkling down at her and a smirk curling up the side of his mouth. _

"_This calls for a celebration!" Kaien had boisterously declared when the hugging ceased._

"_I'll bring the drinks!" Rangiku had hurried to offer._

"_I can bake muffins!" Orihime contributed, and soon all three of them were planning a wildly scaled celebration, oblivious to the very subject of it as she stood there, merely grinning in uncontained delight as she watched her friends be loud and cheerful._

_She turned when she felt the warmth of a hand on her shoulder._

"_Well done, Intern." Ichigo smiled at her, an almost boyishly mischievous glint in his eyes as he called her by her old nickname._

_Rukia felt something flutter inside her as she met his eyes, before she found herself grinning back up at him and nodding, recalling their own rough start and the evolution of their relationship, how he'd helped her get to where she was. "I won't thank you." she said stubbornly, though her smile was carefree._

_His own grin widened. "Didn't expect you to." _

_-End Flashback-_

Rukia was kneeling by the bed, a half folded shirt in her hands for the past minute while she mentally relived the memories of earlier that day.

It felt like taking a load of, really. She felt so much _lighter_ now…

She could hardly believe that she'd actually done it. She almost had the urge to dial her brother's phone number and tell him the good news, if only that wouldn't sound odd when she had been supposed to have the job already in the first place. Still, she could just imagine that glimmer of approval in his eyes; and it would be well-deserved now.

And then her thoughts went to the person who had shown her the most help and guidance throughout the way.

He had orange hair and a cocky smile.

Setting the folded shirt in the bag with the rest of her clothes for the weekend, Rukia pushed herself off the floor and made her way to her closet. The double doors were slid open, revealing a mess of clothes which she'd carelessly rifled through in search for her necessary clothes to be packed. Rukia paid the mess no mind and quickly kneeled down to reach into the farthest corner of the small space. By touch, she came upon the box she was searching for and pulled it out in a moment.

With care, almost as if she were unwrapping a present instead of opening an old shoebox, she removed the lid and peered at the contents inside.

Reaching one hand inside, she pulled out the single object and stared at it.

In her hand she held a simple black mask.

Her fingers ran over the smooth black material and conjured up memories of an unforgettable night. In her mind, she saw a flash of the 'Mysterious Stranger' that she had met in a closet, wearing that same mask. Orange hair, amber eyes and a boyishly handsome grin came flashing back to her.

The image was only broken by the thought of the same man, mask-less, wearing a blue button-down and dark jeans. His face was scowling but remained handsome, and his hand was in the front pocket of his jeans casually.

He was the man she'd met only a couple of days later, in the least expected of places.

A soft sigh escaped her slightly upturned lips. "Thank you…idiot." She spoke, her eyes fixed on the mask as if she could just see the man who'd worn it beneath it.

Despite her words to him openly denying him gratitude, she was truly thankful to him for all his help. Even if she would never tell him that.

It didn't matter anyway. As a mental picture of his grin to her popped into the surface of her mind, she was sure that he knew.

"_Didn't expect you to."_ His words came back to her, over the sounds of her other friends' excited chatter. His brown eyes, bright as they looked at her smilingly, accompanied by that boyish grin…

Rukia's hand flew to her chest, where her heart had suddenly begun beating more wildly than usual.

She hurriedly put the mask back inside the shoebox and put it away in its corner in the dark of her closet, banishing all thoughts of it and its original owner from her mind as she went back to packing.

The last thing she needed now was to start having _those_ kinds of thoughts.

-x-

Friday found Rukia in quite the merry mood.

With not only the promise of the potentially great weekend in her favor, but also of a steady paycheck at long last, she felt like her grin might split her face any time soon. Her good mood propelled her to work quickly and diligently on her last few assignments as an 'intern'. Once the weekend had passed, she could officially say that she worked for Seretei Daily.

"Hey, Rukia," Kaien appeared over the edge of the makeshift wall separating them. "You all set for this afternoon?"

She raised an eyebrow at him, pausing in her typing to look up at him. "What do I have to be set _for?_"

"Well your celebration, of course." He scowled at her in a way that reminded her a lot of a certain someone with orange hair who just happened to be just behind the door a few feet to her right. "Don't tell me you forgot, stupid."

"No one told me anything about a celebration!" she exclaimed defensively.

"Oh." He scratched under his chin in apparent thought, then shrugged. "Then I guess now you know. Rangiku and I are taking care of refreshments, and Orihime is bringing the snacks-" he paused at seeing how Rukia turned slightly green. She'd seen the other woman eating her homemade concoctions some times she'd stayed for lunch in the building, the thought of some of them… "Don't worry, we convinced her to just get something at the bakery a couple of blocks away." Kaien explained, and Rukia's face returned to its usual pale coloring.

"Well, as long as I don't have to do anything…"

"Just grace us with your presence." Kaien grinned, winking playfully at her.

Rukia felt herself grinning back, "I'll clear my schedule then." She said, though of course, her schedule was already clear as could be. Having already called Urahara the previous day to inform him that she would not be working there anymore and would be driving by to collect her last paycheck, and having packed everything for the weekend, she was golden.

It seemed that everything was quickly falling into place.

Later that morning she got a call from Renji telling her that he'd be picking her up for lunch, since they apparently needed to celebrate. Of course she had already called him the previous day to give him the good news, so it didn't come as any surprise that he wanted to join in the congratulating in person.

For the first time in what felt like forever, the day seemed to fly by for Rukia.

By the time she actually turned her eyes to the slender purple wristwatch, it was already past 4:30pm. And no sooner had she checked the hour, did Kaien pop up around her cubicle and started to rub his palms together as if in preparation.

"Well Kuchiki," he started in mock seriousness. "It's time to celebrate your last afternoon on Seretei as an intern."

Almost as if on cue, Orihime and Rangiku appeared from the elevator; the former carrying five plastic containers with visible sweets inside, the latter holding odd looking bottles in each hand.

Rukia had to raise an eyebrow as the two women came closer, giving the older blonde a strange look. "Rangiku, are those…?"

"Shampoo bottles." she confirmed the brunette's suspicion. She leaned down and lowered her voice a few notes. "We're not allowed to have alcohol in the building." she explained and added a wink, looking quite pleased with herself. "But don't worry, I always find a way to outsmart the man upstairs. Or men upstairs…or men in general."

"That's…great." Rukia laughed awkwardly.

"Now drink up!"

-x-

"To Rukia!"

Ichigo heard a small chorus of voices, slightly chortled, just outside his office. He raised his left arm to look at his wristwatch and confirm that it was almost 5pm, by which time most of the fourth floor employees -at least the louder ones- had cleared out normally.

As he stepped out of his office, however, he was met with a different sight. Kaien, Rangiku and Orihime had all pulled up chairs to surround Rukia in her cubicle and had broken out the congratulatory festivities. Judging by their rosier than normal cheeks Rangiku had provided refreshments, and going by the lack of green on their faces Orihime hadn't baked the snacks. He was half disbelieving and half impressed when he noticed that someone had thought as far as to provide the small group with party hats and quirks.

He shook his head, resisting the urge to smile as he saw Rukia, wearing her party hat, currently wrestling Kaien's head onto her desk as he tried to hug her under the effects of what might have been one drink too many. Despite what one might read as annoyance on her features, he could tell just how happy she looked now. In his mind, he recalled the image of her tired form, the dark circles under her eyes and the disarrayed hair that accompanied after constantly falling asleep on her desk and forcing herself awake to keep on working.

This time, he allowed a diminutive smile to creep over his features as he noted the immediate change in her. The area under her eyes still showed some telltale signs of lack of sleep, but overall her violet eyes were brighter, and her skin had flushed with a healthy creamy tone.

"Ichigo!" a voice snapped him out of his reverie. He quickly turned to the orange haired girl that had called out his name and was looking up at him with bright gray eyes. "Won't you join us? We're celebrating that Rukia has a permanent job here now!"

"And we've got plenty of _refreshments_, if you know what I mean." Rangiku pointed out, lazily throwing an arm around Orihime's shoulder as she looked up at him with slightly glazed blue eyes.

"I hope you're not planning on driving like that." Ichigo frowned at the blonde, who chuckled before taking another swig straight out of a…_shampoo bottle?_

"Relax, Ichigo," Rangiku said, waving her hand around dismissively as she stretched out the syllables in the word. "I'm catching a ride back with Orihime, here."

"You are?" Orihime turned her large eyes at her.

"You don't have a problem with that, do you?" Rangiku asked with a smile, though it barely sounded like a question.

"Oh, of course not!" Orihime quickly said, causing Ichigo to roll his eyes. The girl was so easy to take advantage of.

"What about that one?" Ichigo asked, pointing skeptically at the dark-haired man who was now slumped over the desk limply, beginning to snore lightly.

"For_ this_ one," Rukia spoke up, roughly shoving Kaien, who jumped abruptly in his seat.

"I didn't do it!" he yelled, snapping awake.

Ignoring the outburst, Rukia looked back at Ichigo. "I've already called Miyako; she'll deal with him."

Kaien turned to Rukia looking like a kid begging not to be scolded by his parents. "Wait, no don't do that!"

"Too late Mr. I-can-out-drink-any-woman." Rukia said stoically. "She's coming over as we speak."

Kaien shrank back, looking very much afraid. Rukia then turned back to Ichigo, humor dancing in her violet orbs. "So aren't you going to stay for a bit?"

"As tempting as that is," Ichigo said with just an ounce of sarcasm as he took in the drunken half of the bunch. "I'll pass. I'm heading home early today to do some packing for tomorrow."

"Alright." Rukia said, her gaze lingering for a moment before she smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

For some reason, Ichigo felt something at those words. He wasn't sure if it was anxiety or expectation…or maybe a mixture of both. But he quickly shook it off and replied with a simple "Yeah." He stepped away with a lazy wave over his shoulder as he bid farewell to the group.

The doors of the elevator slid shut before him just as the sound of loud and slurred singing reached his ears. He shook his head lightly before his thoughts carried him back to his destination.

So he lied when he'd said he was going home. Ichigo hurried in the underground parking lot to get to his car and head out towards the Karakura General. He had inwardly debated whether or not to tell Orihime too, but one look at how she was enjoying herself and he knew that he shouldn't do anything to bring her back down. So went on by himself.

It was better that way, he mused as he drove. There were some things that he wanted to discuss in private…

He just hoped that Chad would be awake when he got there.

Ichigo had gotten a call the previous night telling him that the 6''4' man had awakened, against all odds, and seemed to be well on his way to recovery. He couldn't help but grin; ever since they were kids, it seemed to him that Chad was indestructible. He'd seen the man get hit by a car and walk away like he'd just scraped his knee. If there was anything similar to a superhero in the planet, Ichigo was sure that Chad was it.

Still, he couldn't deny that when he heard about his oldest friend being shot…He had been afraid. Terrified, even.

Ichigo saw his hands tightening over the steering wheel, before he reminded himself to relax.

_He's okay._

Ichigo was in luck. When he made it to the hospital and into Chad's private room, he met the sight of one of the man's eyes lazily opening to look at him. His other eye was covered with a curtain of dark shaggy hair. The sight of Chad on the hospital bed was almost laughable.

Not only was the man freakishly tall, but he was built like a tank. His feet were nearly dangling off the edge and it seemed like he had trouble fitting his broad shoulders between the bedrails.

Ichigo smirked. "I bet the nurses had one hell of a time fitting you in there."

The bedridden man cracked a smile. "Ichigo." he said as way of greeting.

"Nice to see you awake." he said casually. "A few bullets are no match for the man made of steel." he said, recalling an old nickname for him back in high school.

Chad responded by giving Ichigo a thumbs up.

After that, Ichigo shut the door behind him and took the only chair beside the bed. Then he talked, the conversation flowing casually between them. It was around a half hour later that a lapse of silence finally rolled around, and Ichigo felt his hands tightening into fists at his sides.

"What's the matter?" Chad asked in his deep voice, immediately picking up on Ichigo's uneasiness.

The orange-haired man looked away, before resting his elbows over his knees and slumping forward. "You didn't see who did it, right?" he asked, his expression shadowed while his head was lowered.

Chad stiffened on the bed, immediately catching on to the meaning of Ichigo's words. He didn't say anything at first, but Ichigo didn't need to hear anything to know what the answer was. "Ichigo, I know this is important to you…" he trailed off momentarily.

There was a short, terse moment of silence before Ichigo's hands relaxed, his shoulders slumping ever so slightly. "It's not worth it." he spoke at last, his face still hidden.

Chad's eyes widened minimally. "You…?"

"I know this is connected to Aizen. We got too close…And this is what happened." Ichigo looked up at his bedridden friend. "I want to take down Aizen, and everyone who works with him. But not if it's going to get the people around me hurt."

"Ichigo-"

"I never should have involved you in this, Chad." Ichigo finally looked up. "I'm sorry." he said, standing up.

Chad stared in silence, processing what he was saying.

Once on his feet, Ichigo turned away and started towards the door. "Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it." He had now made it to the door and placed his hand on the handle, half turning it as he spoke with his head only partially turned to the other man, his gaze hidden in shadow. "But from now on I'm working on this on my own."

He didn't wait to hear any response as he exited the room without looking back.

-x-

Rukia stepped out of the elevator and rolled her suitcase silently over the carpet of the sixth floor hallway, holding the hanger with her dress for the evening over her shoulder.

Doors lined either side of the long hallway, each one identical to the last except for the rising little golden numbers decorating each one. The Gotei was one of the oldest hotels in Karakura, but also one of the fanciest. It maintained a combination of classic decoration with a modern touch, giving it a sense of timeless grandeur.

As she walked slowly, taking note of each number as she searched for her room, Rukia was filled with an odd sense of nostalgia.

Images of a younger version of herself walking uncertainly, head bowed, following a disinterested maid as she was led to her room; she dared one glance over her shoulder to see her brother's retreating back.

Present-day Rukia had to resist the urge to look back now and see if she would see her brother there once again. As a younger girl she had accompanied Byakuya to several activities, many of which included staying at fancy hotels such as the Gotei; she had been required to dress up and act properly as she was introduced to many of the big names in business, which she had been too young to recognize or care about. They weren't exactly her fondest memories.

Shaking herself out of memory lane, Rukia finally came to a stop before one of the multiple ivory doors. The number read 615.

Without further ado, Rukia slid in her card key and let herself in.

Dominating the room was a seemingly undisturbed queen-sized bed, with enough pillows to build a forte, and white and gold sheets that didn't have a single wrinkle in sight. Looking around, she saw ceiling to floor curtains that matched the color of the bed's sheets, thick enough to keep the room lit only in artificial half light, undisturbed by the sun's rays despite it being three in the afternoon and still pretty light out. On the far right corner there was a small round table and two wooden chairs, and a night table with a lit lamp beside the bed's headboard. A flat screen television set on a polished wood chest of drawers faced the bed.

It wasn't the huge and pompous suite she remembered from her days staying on her brothers' business trips, but it was still a nice and spacious room, with a warm decoration that made her feel at ease.

Rukia pulled her luggage (a single bag) to set it beside the bed ad carefully laid out the dress -covered in the plastic from the dry cleaners-, thinking she's try out the bed for a nap before something caught her eye.

Looking towards the left area of the room closely for the first time, she saw a mini fridge and a small closet, and a small passage leading to the bathroom. What caught her eye was that on the mirror set on the wall right across from the bathroom, she saw the reflection of an open door.

It struck her as odd; from what she remembered of her previous stays in hotel rooms all doors were all closed and every aspect of the room indicated to it being immaculate and unused. Seeing this was out of place, and she found herself walking towards the bathroom.

She figured maybe someone from housekeeping was in there. Peering closer, she thought she could make out the outline of a person from the space of the partially open door. Footsteps reached her ears followed by the sound of someone turning on the faucet and water rushing out.

Did maids use the faucets?

Her brow creased as she suddenly felt suspicion build. Her right hand tightened into a small -but powerful if needed- fist and with her left she quickly pushed the door fully open.

And struck out.

"AGH!"

The high-pitched but distinctly male scream filled her ears as she fell back into a stance after delivering a well-placed kick to the man's side. But the worst was far from over.

Rukia had automatically kicked out upon the sight of a tall body bare except for a white towel hanging lazily around the hips…A towel which had loosened upon the man receiving a kick that doubled him over…

"Agh!" It was her turn to scream as her hand flew to cover her eyes and she stumbled backwards.

"What the _hell-_" the male voice ground out, then suddenly cut itself off. Then… _"Rukia?" _

Now that some of the shock had more or less dissipated, Rukia recognized the voice. Despite the amount of disbelief and shock in it, it was still a voice she knew well. "…Ichigo?"

Her own voice was abruptly disbelieving as she dared to open one eye and look through the cracks of her fingers and took her first real good look at the man in front of her. There was no doubt about it: the bright shade of orange that filled her field of vision could only belong to one person. Without warning, she lowered her hands and let both of her eyes fly wide open as she took in the sight of none other than Ichigo Kurosaki.

Correction: as she took in the sight of _half-naked_ Ichigo Kurosaki.

She couldn't have stopped her mouth from falling open if her life had depended on it. It took every ounce of her self control and will to pull her eyes up to his face and away from the glistening tower of well-defined muscles and abs being cut off only momentarily by the white towel once again fastened around his hips and secured by his hand.

Rukia felt her embarrassment climb until she was sure she would have jumped out a window if there had been one in sight… Or if she had been able to move. Rooted to the spot and feeling her entire face flaming, she reacted in the only way she knew how.

"What are you _doing_ here?"

It seemed Ichigo was having a similar predicament to hers as he stood rooted to the spot; his expression was priceless. If Rukia had not been so mortified herself, she would have been laughing.

"_Me?_" His voice cracked, a few octaves higher than it normally was. "What are _you_ doing here? This is my room!"

"What are you talking about? This is _my_ room!"

Suddenly facing a stalemate, both parties stood in silence as they processed their situation. Unfortunately, more than two seconds of silence were quick to remind them of a different predicament.

"Just, wait for me to get dressed so we can figure this out." Ichigo managed to choke out. Rukia didn't need to be told twice as she nodded vigorously and nearly flashed out of the bathroom, not looking back but hearing the door close behind her and letting out a sigh of relief in the process.

A little less than ten minutes later, Ichigo stepped out to find Rukia lying on the bed, a bottle of water from the mini fridge held up against her forehead as if she was cooling herself down. Which she was. Whether from embarrassment or something else she'd rather not think about.

Ichigo cleared his throat lightly to announce his presence, and Rukia sat up, putting the bottle aside, to look at him.

His clothes and hair looked slightly disheveled, as if he'd put them on in a rush (or fumbled a lot as he did) and hadn't had time to run a comb through his wild -still wet from a shower apparently- hair. There were even a few droplets of water running down his neck and disappearing into his dark blue shirt.

"Err…" Ichigo reached up to scratch the back of his head and placed a light scowl on his face, looking away from her. "Mind explaining why you're in my room?"

At this, Rukia frowned. She folded her arms over her chest haughtily before responding. "Actually, it's _my_ room. You can check if you like."

Ichigo turned to her then, raising an orange eyebrow. "I'm in room 615. This is room 615."

"Eh…I'm in room 615." Rukia said, and for a moment they just stared at each other as if waiting for an answer to magically appear before them. "Maybe there was a mistake. They probably gave one of us the wrong room. We'll just go downstairs and ask them to fix this."

"Right." Ichigo agreed.

A few minutes later the pair was stepping out from the elevator into the lobby. They quickly bypassed the myriad of people varying crowding the space, some dressed casually while others were clad in night gowns and tuxedos.

Ichigo and Rukia had to struggle their way up to the check-in counter until they finally stopped in front of one of the three women currently at work, just as the couple she was attending stepped away.

"Good afternoon, may I help you?" The brunette, who looked about middle-age and wore a polite smile identical to the ones on her two coworkers looked up at their approach.

"There's been a mistake with our rooms." Rukia spoke up, making the brunette pull her gaze away from where it had been lingering on Ichigo, to look at her for the first time. From the corner of her eye Rukia saw Ichigo nodding. "Someone accidentally gave us the same room, but we had prior reservations made. It was probably just a mistake but-"

"I'll check right now." the woman cut in, going straight to business. Rukia felt herself relax slightly as she figured issue would be solved quickly. "Your names." said the woman without looking up from the screen of her computer.

"Rukia Kuchiki."

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

About twenty seconds later the woman spoke again, still looking at her computer. "You're both with the Seretei right?"

"Yes."

"Well…" The woman seemed to hesitate. "You both appear here to be registered to room 615. There's been no mistake."

Ichigo and Rukia exchanged an alarmed glance. Ichigo quickly started up before Rukia had the chance. "But, there _has_ to be. Each of us was supposed to have a room, that can't be right."

The woman looked up, her expression entirely neutral. "The system does not make mistakes. If you two have any complaints I suggest you take it up with your boss."

Ichigo shot Rukia a helpless look, and she quickly turned back to the brunette. "Alright, then just check me in to another room. Any will do-"

"There are no more rooms." the woman interrupted. "We're overbooked. It's the holidays, it's impossible to get a room at the Gotei without prior reservations."

Now Rukia felt herself deflate. No more rooms? That meant…

"Hey, look!" Ichigo interrupted her thoughts, tugging on her arm and pointing out something behind her. Rukia turned to look at the lobby. "It's Ukitake."

She found herself hurrying after Ichigo in the direction of the white-haired individual, who was currently facing away from them and seemingly engaged in conversation with someone.

"Ukitake!" Ichigo practically barked as soon as they were in earshot. Rukia resisted the urge to smack him for speaking like that to his boss.

The white-haired man turned towards them, one hand up rubbing his temples as if warding off a headache. Rukia rarely saw the man look so weary other than when he was dealing with his secretary and assistant.

"Ichigo, Kuchiki," he still managed a small, tired smile as he saw them. "How are you?"

"I'd be a whole lot better if someone explained to me why it is I'm stuck in a room with _her_." Ichigo pointed at Rukia to emphasize, while the petite raven-haired woman scowled and slapped his hand finger away.

"You don't have to sound so displeased about it." she remarked.

"Shut up, I'm making a point."

Ukitake watched the exchange with a slightly confused expression. "Wait, so what is the problem here?"

"They put us in the same room!" they both said simultaneously.

"Oh dear," Ukitake said, his white eyebrows furrowing ever-so-slightly. "Not you too."

They were taken aback by that statement. "Huh?"

Ukitake sighed. "Hinamori and Toshiro had the same problem. As well as Takimoto and Tanashika. It seems that the hotel was nearly out of rooms when the reservations were made and they compensated by throwing a few people together." he gave a small chuckle at the apparent absurdity of the situation.

Ichigo and Rukia weren't laughing. "But who made these reservations? Wouldn't they have known that there wasn't enough room or that something like this was happening?" Rukia questioned, and beside her Ichigo looked like he had been wondering the same thing.

"Ah, yes, well…" Ukitake looked away at some place before turning back to them. "Normally I would make these reservations myself, but I was busy with a few things, so I asked…" He trailed off, looking away again.

Ichigo and Rukia followed his line of sight and immediately understood. Off on the far side of the lobby, near the casino, Kiyone and Sentaro were seemingly having one of their yelling contests while a man dressed in an expensive-looking suit looked between them anxiously.

"Oh." Ichigo and Rukia muttered at the same time.

"They're trying to work it over with the manager right now," Ukitake went on to explain. "But it seems that there's just no room. It's too late to be able to do much of anything actually." He sighed yet again before looking at Ichigo and Rukia and unexpectedly smiling. "At least you two were lucky your last names got you together. Imagine if you'd been placed with some stranger."

Ichigo and Rukia stood speechless, having no response to that as Ukitake finally bid them farewell and headed over to where Kiyone and Sentaro were, probably to smooth things over with the hotel manager.

It seemed like a long minute before they finally started moving again and wordlessly headed to the elevators. Once inside, Rukia saw Ichigo press the number 6 and the doors slide closed before them.

"So what now?" Ichigo broke the silence, his eyes on the rising numbers above the elevator doors.

"We…share a room, I guess." Rukia said as diplomatically as possible. "It's only for one night." she added as much for her benefit as for his.

Ichigo seemed almost tensely quiet as he nodded once. The two stepped off the elevator a moment later and walked to the room, only to be reminded of another problem…

"There's only one bed."

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious." Rukia said after a moment. Then, letting the annoyance drain from her voice she spoke again. "Look, one of us can sleep on the floor and that's that."

Ichigo's eyes widened slightly at this before she crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly. "I am _not_ sleeping on the floor."

"Fine. I'll take the floor then." she said simply, shrugging as she started towards her suitcase, still beside the bed.

It was approximately two seconds before Ichigo spoke again. "Wait, you can't take the floor…"

Rukia peered at him over her shoulder and smirked slightly. "Is that your chivalry talking or your male ego?"

Ichigo's eyebrow ticked. "Neither! I'm just pointing out that it wouldn't really be fair to let you sleep on the carpet like that."

"Will you be taking the carpet then?" she asked skeptically, turning to him with a quirked eyebrow.

"No," Ichigo said quickly. "Let's decide this diplomatically."

Rukia eyed him. "I'm listening."

Ichigo responded by raising his fist. "Rock, paper, scissors."

Rukia looked at him blankly for about three seconds before mentally shrugging and raising her fist to his. Then they counted.

"One, two, three!"

There was a dramatic pause.

"Damn it!" Ichigo wailed, glaring at the sight of his hand still enclosed into a fist, and Rukia's hand fully straightened out.

"Paper beats rock." Rukia declared smugly. "I win." She followed up by walking around the bed to reach for one of the pillows and unceremoniously toss it at his face. "Enjoy the carpet."

Ichigo felt his eye twitch for the second time that day and there was still a long way to go before it ended. Grudgingly, he threw the pillow on one of the chairs near the bed and looked at Rukia.

"So…we still have a few hours before the party." he started. "Wanna get something to eat?" he asked while settling his hand on his nape almost subconsciously.

"Is that an offer?" Rukia asked from where she was lying on the bed, arms spread wide at her sides comfortably.

Ichigo glared down at her before crossing his arms over his chest and scoffing. "Ché. I owe you anyway…"

Rukia was up in the blink of an eye. "Then let's go already!"

"Oi! Don't get used to it!" Ichigo yelled after her as they both exited the room, their problems seemingly forgotten for the time being.

* * *

**A/N: Don't say filler, don't say filler, don't say- okay fine, it was a filler chapter :P (mostly). Originally the Christmas party (or at least part of it) was supposed to happen this chapter, but I needed to do a little transition and...well the transition took a bit longer than I expected xD But in my defense, I updated faster than usual so I still get points for that ;) Anyway there's just a lot I want to put into that party, so I thought it best to dedicate a whole chapter to it and do it properly^^  
**

**So my favorite scene in this chapter (and one of the overall story so far) was actually Ichigo and Rukia's little exchange after she gives everyone the good news that she's not an intern. It was small but I thought it was so sweet and IchiRuki...yeah I'll stop fangirling over my own story now haha XD**

**I want to give you guys a HUGE thank you!: _AnimeFanx3__,__ youtubesam__,__ morte-hourglass__,__ lizzyytx33__,__ Rukia Martinez__,__ TruantPony__,__ Imou__,__ Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky__,__ novicestar__,__ ali6220__,__ Cream__,__ jjbb__,__ inthenameofninny__,__ kyurikochan__,__ 1999__,__ MN__,__ Sa Rart__,__ hinataellis__,__ xXBleachluverXx, MONST3R__,__ MeoNg__,__ unknownkyitty__,__ Alyssa, blackwingsgreeneyes, Poisonfish__,__ Fire331_**

**THANK YOU SO MUCH!:'D I was so happy with so many reviews, and so many GREAT reviews! It fills me with joy each time I read them and I see people actually excited about this story ^.^ Proof: early update here *wink*wink* hehe! And a special thanks to those who have taken the time to review every chapter :') **

**Oh and btw, this is the tenth chapter! Wooo I feel like it's an accomplishment of sorts lol See you guys next time! Next chapter is the famed Christmas party for sure :D**


	11. Christmas Party pt 1

Ichigo looked at his wristwatch a little impatiently before redirecting his gaze towards the door that hid the bathroom.

"Oi, Rukia, aren't you ready yet?" he asked, loud enough to be heard through the wood and the sound of the still-running shower.

"No!" she barked back. "And before you even think about rushing me along, remember whose fault it is that we're running late in the first place!"

Ichigo frowned. So maybe she had a point there. So maybe it wasn't the most prudent thing to challenge Rukia to a game at the hotel arcade after they finished eating…But then again it wasn't his fault that she turned out to be so damn competitive. They ended up playing on every single game, with Rukia coming out as the victor after a very close deciding match of air hockey. By the end of the affair they had so many tickets they probably could have bought half of the prize toys, but they opted to just give away all their booty to the first lucky kid that happened to pass by.

It was after watching the kid run towards the prizes -with a huge smile missing a front tooth and a face that looked like he had just seen a real life talking unicorn-, that Ichigo and Rukia finally took note of the time. Between the early dinner and the two hours spent running around the arcade, they had barely an hour left to get ready for the party, which started at 8:00pm.

"I just suggested one quick racing game! You're the one that had to get on every single game until you beat me!" Ichigo retaliated. He could practically hear her huffing stubbornly on the other side of the door.

For a few more seconds all Ichigo heard was the sound of the running shower, before Rukia's voice drifted through again. "Just go ahead without me!"

Ichigo paused for a moment.

Now why the hell hadn't he thought of that?

Maybe it was the fact that they were sharing a room and he felt sort of obligated to leave with her. Though if he was being honest with himself, a part of him maybe just wanted to arrive with her…

Ichigo discarded the thought immediately. "Okay, I'll see you there then." he quickly shouted back, turning to look at his own reflection on the mirror mounted on the wall opposite to the bathroom.

He tied the remaining top buttons of his long-sleeved black shirt, then straightened his charcoal gray tie so that it was neatly set. He patted the pockets of his dark slacks and checked that he had all the needed items, spared a glance to his shiny black shoes, and finally looked back up to see his orange mane, only slightly more tamed than its usual wild state.

Deciding that he was presentable enough after his once-over, Ichigo headed out; having had just enough time to hear the running water from the shower stop.

A few wrong turns and annoyed hotel staff giving him directions later, he arrived at the ballroom. Ichigo wasn't one to be particularly impressed by décor or luxurious items, but he had to admit that the Gotei's ballroom was pretty deserving of any praise it got.

The place was huge, decorated in a tasteful manner that gave it an air of grandeur but didn't border on tacky. The group of round tables at the far right of the room were decorated with richly red cloths and at all four corners of the square room there stood a carefully decorated Christmas tree for the season. A small band was playing on a small stage on the far wall behind the tables.

Ichigo finished taking in the scene before going down the staircase to leading to the dance floor -the steps covered in a velvety red carpet similar to the table cloths- and surveyed his surroundings more closely. He could see a lot of familiar faces from Seretei, others he recognized from having seen on TV in the news or in the cover of a magazine, and others he had never met.

"Ichigo!"

"Um…hi?" he glanced warily at the light-haired girl wearing a dress that she seemed to be spilling out of as she beamed at him.

"Hi! So good to see you again." she said excitedly, then seemed to notice his blank look. "…You do remember me right?"

"Uhh…"

"From that animal abuse story…"

"…Err, sorry I-"

He Didn't get a chance to finish as she stomped away with her nose in the air. Oh well. So maybe he _had_ met some of the people here and didn't remember. He was a reporter, it was his _job_ to talk to all sorts of people, he couldn't be expected to actually _remember_ all of them…

In hopes of avoiding another similar encounter, Ichigo quickly looked around in search for a familiar face among the people on the dance floor. He didn't have to look long before someone purred in his ear.

"Ichigo…" the sickeningly silky voice made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and he jolted backwards, turning immediately to glare at the owner of the voice. "My, my, Ichigo. Still as jumpy as ever."

"Do you _always_ have to do that, Yoruichi?" He scowled at the dark-skinned woman, who wore her trademark feline grin and stared up at him with mischievous bright amber eyes. Her unique long purple hair was gathered into a half bun and the rest left to spill over her shoulders and back. She wore a long slinky black dress that could have left a lot more to imagination.

She cackled loudly and slapped his arm good-naturedly. "You should see your face. It makes it worth it every time."

Ichigo cursed lowly at his old boss, who was unaffected.

"So how's old Isshin doing?" Yoruichi asked.

Ichigo shrugged. "Same as always. That old goat never changes. Still talks to posters."

"I see." Yoruichi nodded, an ever-present smirk still on her lips. "How about you? I've barely seen you since you abandoned us at the Shunko." she said, talking about the newspaper she ran, where Ichigo had first worked. "I hear you've been doing pretty well for yourself."

"Who told you that?" Ichigo immediately looked at her suspiciously.

"No one." Yoruichi said with a light scoff. "I read the Seretei all the time; I've seen your stories." Then, seeing his quirked eyebrow, she added, "Well I have to keep track of the competition, you know?"

"Now, Yoruichi," a new voice drifted in easily. "You know the Shunko has nothing to fear from Seretei." Ukitake appeared with his ever-kind smile. He wore a gray suit and his usual pony tail, looking at ease.

Yoruichi turned to the man who now stood at her side. "Don't play innocent with me now, Jushiro. You know if I let my guard down I'll end up having to print celebrity gossip stories within a month." she grinned. "And I'm not planning on making it easy for you either."

Ukitake chuckled. "Good to see your spirit doesn't change."

After speaking, Ukitake's brown eyes seemed to fall slightly. A flash of something that seemed like sadness passed through the brown orbs. Ichigo felt himself frown at this, as he inspected the man suddenly, before his thoughts being interrupted.

"So Ichigo, where is your roommate?" Ukita asked, cheerful disposition securely back in place.

In a different instance Ichigo would have remained suspicious, but the question threw him off. "Eh?"

"Kuchiki," Ukitake clarified. "I thought you'd be together." He said innocently.

"Why would you think _that_?" Ichigo fought to control the way his voice squeaked towards the end of his question.

"Well, it seemed to me that you two had gotten pretty close. And seeing as you were in the same room-" Ukitake went on to say, before Yoruichi's low laughter interrupted him.

"Oh ho? What's this I hear, Ichigo?" Yoruichi set her devilishly gleaming eyes on him. "Sharing a room with a girl? I didn't know about this. Your father will be interested to know the news-"

"It was a room misplacement!" Ichigo hurried to explain. "The hotel was overbooked, it wasn't our fault! Tell her, Ukitake!" Ichigo turned to his actual boss for help, only to find that his eyes and focus were elsewhere.

"Ah, perhaps Kuchiki herself can help you out." Ukitake said, motioning with his eyes towards the top of the staircase.

Ichigo followed his eyes and stopped.

There, having seemingly just appeared, stood a woman. Her slender, petite frame was covered by a satin silver dress that fell like water down to her mid calf. It shone softly against her smooth ivory skin, leaving her arms and shoulders exposed and being held up only by thin spaguetti straps. Her onyx hair contrasted darkly against her pale skin, clipped to one side to fall shortly over her shoulder, with a few lose tresses framing her delicately made up face. Even from the distance, luminous violet eyes stood out against the neutral colors.

The overall effect was…stunning.

Those two violet orbs moved back and forth sweeping the room in scrutiny, before suddenly falling on Ichigo's still form. Almost immediately, her eyes seemed to light up as they met his own brown orbs.

"Oi Ichigo, pick up your chin from the floor. You're making a puddle here."

Ichigo had momentarily forgotten about the presence of other people when he was rudely snapped out of his daze by Yoruichi's teasing voice. Like being snapped out of a daydream, Ichigo shook himself back into reality in order to glare at the dark-skinned woman, only then realizing that his mouth had indeed unhinged itself.

"W-what are you talking about?" he asked, using a gruff and disbelieving tone to disguise his embarrassment, the effect severely lessened by his stuttering.

Yoruichi's grin only widened and she gave him a knowing look, which annoyed him to no end. "Watch out, stud. She's coming over to talk to you." The woman gave him a suggestive nudge and fixed her golden gaze on the woman who had been making her way down the steps during his distraction.

"Yo-" Ichigo started to growl out, but stopped as he felt the new presence hovering closely. "R-Rukia!" he cursed himself for stuttering in front of her. "Umm, hey…"

He looked up at her -that was a first-. She was still standing on the last step, whereas Ichigo was on the floor, and she also wore heels for the first time since he'd met her. In fact, this was also the first time that Ichigo saw Rukia wearing a dress. It was unsettling; that was why he had a bit of a hard time adjusting at first.

"You finished faster than I expected…" Ichigo spoke again, and almost felt like hitting himself for saying sounding so stupid.

Rukia laughed lightheartedly, and the sound -to his dismay- instead of easing him, for some reason made him even more nervous. "I don't actually need _that_ long to get ready, Ichigo." she smirked. "Actually, I'm pretty sure that I would have been ready before you if you hadn't hogged the bathroom."

"What? I didn't do anything like that!" Ichigo retaliated, and suddenly he felt more at ease. _This _was his comfort zone.

"Don't worry, I won't judge you for your feminine habits." Rukia smoothly said. "It's fine really, I understand-"

"Shut up!" he ordered hastily, before hearing a couple of people laughing behind him.

And once again realized, that he had momentarily forgotten about the presence of others.

"Oh, Mr. Ukitake," Rukia looked over at the white-haired man, looking slightly surprised, as if she hadn't noticed him either.

"Kuchiki," he greeted back. "You clean up very nice." he commented with a smile.

Rukia returned the smile. "Thank you, and-" she turned to look uncertainly at the other woman standing among the small group.

"I'm Yoruichi Shihouin," Yoruichi quickly introduced herself. "And you're Byakuya's little sister, right?"

Ichigo turned to give Yoruichi a startled look, then turned to Rukia with incredulous eyes as she responded. "Oh of course, you're the editor of Shunko! I've read a lot of your work ma'am, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Ugh, enough with the 'ma'am' business. It makes me sound old." Yoruichi waved her hand around dismissively, but Ichigo wasn't paying attention to her. "It's just Yoruichi, please."

"Ah, it's an honor to meet you, Miss Yoruichi." Rukia went on, before Ichigo spoke up.

"Did she say Byakuya, as in Byakuya _Kuchiki_?" he asked in utter disbelief.

"Yes," Rukia said simply, about to turn back to continue whatever she was going to say to Yoruichi before being cut off again by Ichigo.

"As in the big shot owner of the Senbonzakura corporation, _Byakuya Kuchiki?_"

"Yes, Ichigo! That's the one." Rukia answered with mild annoyance in her voice. "Can we move on now?"

"Why didn't you ever tell me that guy is your _brother_?" Ichigo asked, ignoring her irritation.

Rukia looked slightly taken aback, but covered it up quickly. "You never asked."

Ichigo opened his mouth to reply but found that he really didn't have anything to say to that.

"Discussing family trees, are we?" another new voice entered the conversation. This one wasn't familiar to Ichigo, but Rukia seemed to recognize the newly arrived blond man.

"Urahara?"

-x-

Rukia stared at the shaggy-haired man, lacking his trademark striped hat for once and dressed in clothes to accommodate for the evening, looking every bit like he belonged there.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, not bothering with politeness. Urahara was never the most conventional boss, so she allowed herself these liberties. Moreover, as of the previous day he wasn't even her boss anymore.

"Ah, Rukia, there is so much you don't know about me." Urahara feigned a mysterious smile as he shook a finger at her.

"I was beginning to think you were going to be a no-show, Kisuke." Yoruichi grinned, looking at the man who had come to stand at her right.

Rukia's eyes widened. "You two know each other?"

"Yoruichi and I go way back, Rukia." Urahara smiled almost lecherously. Rukia resisted the urge to cringe at the implications in the man's tone, only strengthened with the way he slowly snaked one arm around Yoruichi's lower waist. The woman didn't protest. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend now?" The grey-eyed man motioned to Ichigo.

"Oh this is Isshin's boy." Yoruichi supplied the answer.

"You know my Dad too?" Ichigo asked now, looking at Urahara.

"Of course! Old Isshin and I went to college together. We were roommates on our first year." Urahara explained. "Ah, the memories…"

"I don't want to know." Ichigo muttered, and for some reason Rukia felt herself silently agreeing.

"I didn't know you were his kid. I thought that orange hair looked familiar." Urahara went on. "You look a lot different now that when you were a little kid. I don't think you had that scowl back then."

Rukia saw Ichigo's scowl deepen at this, making her have to resist the urge to laugh.

"Anyway, if I had know it was you I would have gone over and said hi when I saw you at my restaurant the other day!" Urahara finished.

"Huh?"

"Ichigo," Rukia finally turned to him to explain. "Kisuke Urahara; as in the owner of Urahara's. He was my boss."

"Aww, past tense already, Rukia?" Urahara pretended to look hurt. "You've already left me behind."

Rukia didn't bother to stop herself from rolling her eyes.

"Well," Yoruichi spoke. "I have some scouring to do here. I'm going to have to leave you now. It was nice meeting you, Rukia." she smiled in a friendly manner, then turned to Ichigo. "And Ichigo," she paused, then leaned forward and whispered something into his ear. Rukia couldn't hear, but she saw Ichigo's cheeks flame up considerably before the woman pulled back and winked at him. "I'll see you later!"

With that she left, pulling Urahara -who waved lazily back at them- with her. Ichigo and Rukia then turned to Ukitake as he cleared his throat, having been quiet for the majority of the last conversation. "I'm afraid I'll have to leave you two as well. Duty calls." he chuckled. "Have fun!"

Ichigo and Rukia smiled at him and watched him walk away and disappear within seconds into the crowd of people in the dance floor. Once left by themselves, Rukia spoke up without turning to look at him. "So…What did she say to you?"

Ichigo seemed to freeze up beside her. "Who? Yoruichi? N-nothing just…Nothing important."

Rukia glanced up at him then, her arms folded over her chest as she did so. There was still a telltale tinge of pink coloring his cheeks, but his face was set into a typical scowl. As curious as she was, she decided for that once that she would spare him and not torture him anymore. So she simply said, "Let's go find the others."

"Right." Ichigo nodded.

Rukia, who still stood on the last step of the staircase, started to step down carefully in her silver high heels, watching her step as she did, when she was surprised by a hand being offered in assistance. She looked up at Ichigo with startled eyes, having never expected such a gesture from him. His eyes, however, were averted as he faced the crowded ballroom and away from her.

Normally, Rukia would only accept such a chivalrous action in the presence of her brother where etiquette obliged her to. And to be perfectly honest, she had had enough practice wearing high heels -even if it wasn't by choice- to be able to have perfect balance. Even so, she found herself reaching out to take Ichigo's hand and steady herself. When her small hand found his larger one, his fingers seemed to respond to her touch and automatically curl around her hand, holding it gently but firmly as she descended the final step.

The moment -which couldn't have been longer than two seconds- seemed like it was playing in slow motion, their hands connected for that instant. Once Rukia was securely on the floor and once again shorter than Ichigo, she looked up once more, but this time found his light amber eyes fixed on her.

Their eyes connected for an instant before Ichigo loosened his hold on her hand and they broke the contact, simultaneously looking away from each other. A moment later they were weaving through the dance floor in the direction of the group of tables, scanning them quickly in search for their friends.

While Ichigo was a few steps ahead of her and his back was to her, Rukia allowed herself to reach a hand up to her chest. Underneath, she felt her heart's quickened beatings, a reaction that she had felt the moment when time had seemingly slowed down and Ichigo had held her hand.

It wasn't the first time they held hands. Only a little while ago, she had held his hand in a comforting gesture at the hospital when he had heard of his friend being hurt…But that had been different. How, exactly, she wasn't sure.

"Rukia! Ichigo!" Orihime's cheerful voice brought Rukia out of her confused musings. She followed the sound of her voice and her eyes immediately landed on the orange-haired girl waving from a table to her left.

She followed Ichigo as he weaved through the tables between them and Orihime's, until the two arrived at the smiling girl's place. Orihime sat beaming up at them, Uryuu at her right; Kaien and the woman that Rukia already knew as Miyako were to her left; the chair beside Kaien's was empty, and on the next seat was a man that Rukia only remembered seeing before around Seretei because of the distinctive tattoo of a '69' on the left side of his face. There were two more remaining empty chairs and Rukia took the one closest to her, next to the tattooed man. Ichigo pulled out the seat on her left and sat beside her.

Greetings around the table went by quickly; the tattooed man introduced himself as Shuuhei for those who didn't know him and said he was there as Rangiku's date -though the busty blonde was nowhere to be seen-, and Kaien took the opportunity to introduce his wife again.

"Kaien, I think they get the point." It was Miyako's sweet voice that interrupted a long-winded rant on Kaien's part as he described all the fine attributes of his spouse to the people around the table. Though smiling and seemingly sweet, Miyako's voice held a tone of finality that even Kaien didn't dare argue with.

Rukia, as well as the rest of the table's occupants, were rather amused with the sight.

Conversation flowed between the group from then on, jumping from topic to topic effortlessly. At some points various simultaneous conversations sprouted out. Orihime and Miyako began discussing recipes -much to Kaien's horror-; Uryuu and Ichigo bickered about trivial manners, neither seeming to remember why they started the argument in the first place; and Shuuhei had turned to Rukia and was currently telling her about some story he had to do on plastic surgery while she did her best to smile and nod at all the appropriate times.

In reality, Rukia's attention kept drifting off to her left.

Ichigo was dressed all in black, save for the grey tie and the inevitable splash of orange of his head. And although Ichigo usually dressed pretty well, it didn't really compare to how much he…cleaned up that night. His clothes were pressed, his shoes were shiny, his hair was somewhat combed, and unless she was imagining it, she could catch a light whiff of cologne coming off of him.

She would be lying to herself if she said that he didn't look more than a little handsome.

"-believe that?"

Rukia caught only the last bit of what Shuuhei was telling her. Luckily, she had always been a great actress and could easily fake any reaction. "Ah, that _is_ pretty unbelievable!" she exclaimed with a laugh, forcing her eyes back to the man at her right.

"I know, right!"

All conversations ceased a moment later when Orihime suddenly jumped up from her seat and put her hands together excitedly. "This is the song I danced at my high school prom!" she exclaimed, her eyes bright. "I love it!" And then she turned her eyes on her fiancé, who looked away from his verbal spar and swallowed uncomfortably. The wide grey orbs were unmistakably pleading.

"Orihime, you know dancing isn't really my forte-"

"_Please_, Uryuu," she gave him a look that one would imagine on a stray puppy begging for a hug.

Even Rukia thought she would have gotten up to dance; Uryuu didn't stand a chance. As soon as the black-haired man was reluctantly leading away the ecstatic orange-haired girl into the dance floor, the second woman on the table turned to her significant other.

"Kaien," Miyako turned to him with a smile playing at her lips.

"Say no more, my lady!" Kaien was on his feet and even doing an old-fashioned bow, his hand extended to his wife.

Miyako giggled elegantly behind her palm before taking his hand and allowing herself to be led away.

That left three people on the table.

Rukia was just about to open her mouth an make an awkward comment on the centerpiece when she was beat to the punch.

"May I have this dance?"

-x-

Ichigo's eyes turned immediately at the sound of the other male voice, though -with some difficulty- he managed to keep the rest of his body seemingly uninterested in the exchange at his side.

"Oh, sure." Rukia said, getting to her feet with the dark-haired tattooed guy following her lead.

Ichigo forced his eyes down to look at the floral centerpiece with exaggerated scrutiny an instant before he felt someone's eyes on him. Then he felt their presences retreat and he was alone at the table.

Once they were a fair distance away, Ichigo watched their retreating backs. The tattooed guy was fairly tall, leaving a fair height difference between himself and Rukia, despite her high heels. As Ichigo watched, the two entered the crowd at the dance floor.

Even through the amount of people, Ichigo could make out the flashes of silver and black whenever Rukia moved, and his eyes were able to find the spaces between people enough so that he could see when the tattooed guy put his hand on Rukia's waist. A moment more and he saw the guy's other hand take Rukia's own, before they started swaying quickly in rhythm of the upbeat Latin music.

Ichigo didn't know for how long he watched, seeing the pair move with surprisingly well-coordinated moves and keeping up with the lively beat seemingly effortlessly, but he didn't really notice when one song turned into another, and then the transition happened a second time. All the while, the dancing pair that his eyes followed did not even pause. As people moved in and out of the way in their sway, he could make out more or less of them. A hand on the waist here, silver fabric flying in a twirl there, a smile and a laugh in between…

"Kurosaki, I hope you don't plan on cutting yourself with the dull edge of that knife."

A flat, sarcastic voice reminded him of where he was and snapped him out of his observations. At the remark, he switched his gaze to his hand and noticed for the first time that at some point the had grabbed one of the knifes on the table and had been squeezing it so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

He detached his hand from the knife and let it fall back harmlessly on the red cloth of the table before turning to the man who had just pulled out the seat on his right.

"I appreciate your concern, Ishida." Ichigo said dryly.

Ishida merely glanced at him from behind his glasses, the light reflecting off of the lenses in a flash.

"Shouldn't you be dancing with your soon-to-be-wife?" Ichigo asked, a bit sullen at having been interrupted.

"Shouldn't you be doing something other than burning holes into the back of a poor man's head while he dances?" Ishida retorted.

"I don't know what your-"

"Oh for Heaven's sake, Kurosaki." the bespectacled man cut him off. "You've been staring at her for at least ten minutes. Ask her to dance already before you start breaking the hotel's silverware."

"I haven't been staring at her." Ichigo declared, crossing his arms over his chest and scowling deeply.

Ishida raised a thin black eyebrow. "So you confirm that there is a 'her'."

Ichigo's mouth dropped open. "That's not-!"

"Don't tell _me_," Ishida said, a tiny smirk on his face. "I don't care about your affairs." He said in an insufferably condescending tone that made Ichigo want to punch his glasses right into his smug little face. "But if I were you I'd ask her to dance before she gets tired out or just wants to get a drink with some other guy…"

"Alright, I don't want to sit here and listen to your condescending little ass." Ichigo stood from his chair. "But note that I'm _only_ doing this to get away from you." he declared, pointing and giving a glare to the pale man for good measure, before walking off towards the dance floor.

"You're as thick-headed as ever, Kurosaki." Ishida sat, shaking his head as he saw the orange-haired man's retreating back.

"Were you saying something, Uryuu?" a familiar sweet voice asked from behind him, making him jump.

"Orihime!" he was met with her large grey eyes. "Weren't you dancing still…?"

"It wasn't as fun without you!" she said simply, and Uryuu felt his cheeks reddening. Even after all that time, she could still make him blush…

"Ah, let's do something else then." he said, standing and putting an arm around her waist. "How about we try the food?"

He took her delighted squeal as a 'yes'.

-x-

Ichigo walked with a sure step, having watched long enough to know exactly where he was headed through the crowd of dancers.

But as soon as she was in plain sight, it was like he was suddenly rooted to the spot.

Twirling, swaying, laughing; she seemed to be having a great time dancing with that guy. Ichigo's eyes zeroed in on the man's face; tanned, rough, confident-looking. And then there was that '69' tattoo…No doubt the guy was some pervert.

And the way his eyes looked down at his dancing partner- he didn't have to look down _that_ far to see her face, it was clear that he was looking at something else. Honestly and then there were his hands, they were barely at her hips, and they seemed to keep sliding lower; soon enough he'd just be taking advantage and Rukia wouldn't even have time to react.

Ichigo owed it to her to at least alert her to perverted guys like that. After all, wasn't that what friends were for?

With a renewed sure step, Ichigo moved towards the pair and a moment later he was tapping the tattooed man's shoulder purposefully. When he stopped his movement to turn and face him, his eyes met Ichigo's hard brown orbs.

"Mind if I cut in?"

Ichigo's question was more of a statement, and the tattooed man only looked from the raven-haired woman and back to Ichigo once before shrugging. "Go ahead, man." he said, and walked away without further ado.

Ichigo stared after his retreating form a second longer for good measure before someone clearing her throat brought his attention back.

Rukia was looking up at him with a quirked eyebrow, arms folded over her chest and a small smirk. "Did you scare off my dance partner just to stand there or are you going to dance?"

Ichigo suddenly felt more than a little like a deer caught in headlights. Only now did he remember that there was a legit reason for him staying behind and settling perfectly well for glaring from a distance.

_Stupid Ishida, tricking me into this…_

"Uh, well…" he scratched an imaginary itch on the back of his head and averted his eyes. He searched mentally for some type of excuse that didn't make him look like too big of an idiot.

Noticing his discomfort, Rukia lifted an eyebrow and dropped her smirk. "We can just go get a drink if you want-"

"N-no, wait!" Ichigo's hand in avertedly shot out and wrapped itself around Rukia's wrist.

_Now you've done it!_ He inwardly kicked himself.

He was too busy mentally chastising himself to notice that Rukia was now watching him and actually smiling. Only when he suddenly felt his hand being taken and placed on cool fabric over a delicately curved area did his eyes snap back down to meet the glinting violet orbs.

After placing his hand on her waist, Rukia took a step forward to narrow the distance between the two, then she carefully extracted her wrist from his hold and took his hand instead. As she gently set her free hand on his shoulder, she looked up to meet his surprised gaze evenly.

"Now dance." she instructed softly.

Ichigo didn't move for a moment, and then he felt Rukia begin to push gently against him. No, not against him; _with_ him. She began to sway to the music, and pulled him along with her movements. She was slowly guiding him.

Ichigo looked down and watched her feet move expertly, but slowly enough that he could keep up and adequately imitate her movements.

"You're too stiff." Rukia commented after a while. "You're _dancing_, loosen up."

Ichigo was very aware of his tense muscles as he concentrated on following her movements. Furrowing his brows even further, he concentrated on starting to relax his muscles.

"You're thinking about it too much." Rukia said. "Just go with the music."

And without warning, she was suddenly taking a step back and spinning under their intertwined hands and returning to their previous stance in one flowing effortless motion. Ichigo fumbled slightly to fall back into step with her, but before he got the hang of it again she had taken hold of both his hands and took a quick step back, seemingly pulling away from him before bouncing back into position with the same speed and grace.

Ichigo's eyes had widened as he struggled to keep up, when he heard her laugh drifting to his ears over the music. He automatically looked down to glare at her but found the glare melt away instantly as he met her bright violet eyes and joyful smile. He was pretty sure he'd never seen her that seemingly carefree look on her face before.

And then her hand on his shoulder was moving slowly down his arm, in avertedly causing the tensed muscles to ease under her touch, like snakes obediently responding to an enchanting charmer.

He saw her lips move and mouth the word '_relax'_.

And then they were dancing. Ichigo began shedding his self consciousness and allowed himself to follow Rukia's subtle guidance; with each gentle tug of the hand, or soft pull, he knew what she wanted him to do and where she wanted him to go. Before he knew it they were swaying and spinning in time with the music and the other couples as easily as flowing water.

As he gradually became more and more confident, he felt a grin begin to pull at his lips. Without waiting for Rukia's silent instruction, he gave her only a slight tug as a warning before he spun the both of them in a half circle. Rukia responded with a grin of her own, aware that now he was joining the dance now for real.

And then it became a sort of competition. Ichigo would lead, spin Rukia out and back into him and move them at his will; then Rukia would regain control and push him gracefully in the direction that she wanted, never falling out of step or causing him to lose his footing. Sway, spin, slide, turn; their dance was a well-executed battle for dominance in which each side knew their opponent's move an instant before it was executed and followed through perfectly.

Anyone watching would have thought they had been doing it for years.

From the inside, Ichigo was beginning to thoroughly enjoy their dance. Now that he was confident and felt his body move almost naturally, his mind could focus on other aspects at the same time. His hand placed gently but firmly on her waist, allowing him to feel the soft curve and the sway of her body; with each gentle squeeze that he gave her she would respond adequately. Her hand on his shoulder, which kept slithering back and forth between his arm and towards the back of his neck. The heat between their two bodies, generating faster as they moved, and starting to create a fine sheet of glistening moisture on both of their bodies. The light scent of perfume coming off of her and assaulting his senses each time she returned to him from a spin…

His eyes burned into her. From the short distance he could capture in her every detail which he'd failed to notice before; the exposed creamy flesh of her shoulders, and fully bare arms. The spaghetti straps over her collarbones, and the gentle curve from her chest to her neck; little pieces of inky hair were matting to her glistening neck. Now that he thought about it, it was the first time that he saw Rukia wearing her hair up, or without sleeves for that matter. She was still covered up decently, but she allowed him to see more of her flawless ivory skin than he'd seen before.

The extra glimpses along with the concealment of the rest of her was a tantalizing combination. And when he looked into her eyes, they burned with a cold fire that seemed to pierce through him. Two violet jewels embedded into her pale face. The enchanting contrast between white, black and violet entranced him, the rhythmic music combining with the loud beating of his heart and the movements of their bodies; it was hypnotizing.

As he danced with her, he was blind to all those around him, to all outside influence. It was like being in a bubble away from everybody, but instead of peaceful calm there was a storm of movement, touch, sound and colors within the bubble, and all of it was him and her.

He found that he couldn't remove his eyes from hers, even as she went into a spin, their eyes connected in split seconds and never lost their fire.

The erratic but concentrated feeling seemed to climb, getting more and more intense with each beat of the song as it approached its climax and the dancers built up along with it. Ichigo was more aware than ever of Rukia; her body, her smell, her touch, her eyes… But instead of feeling the urge to shy away he met her head on, battling against her in their dance.

They spun to the final verses of the song, their feet and bodies quick and the beating of their hearts even faster, and then finally stopped.

The song ended; Ichigo and Rukia were still all at once. Her slender arms were around his neck, and his own arms were on her hips, holding her in place as their gazes held, their faces only inches apart and their breathing harder than usual.

All around them people begun to applaud for the band before they began to ease into the next song, people scattering to either leave the dance floor or continue dancing.

"You're a good dancer." Ichigo said in a slightly breathless voice.

He and Rukia stayed as they were, unmoving, almost as if they were afraid that the spell that held them together would break as soon as they broke apart.

"You're a quick learner." Rukia responded in an equally breathy voice, her eyes slightly glazed over as she looked up at him.

Ichigo swallowed, feeling her smoldering eyes as much as he felt her body under his hands. It seemed to him that the world around them had disappeared, and he was left with two options. Either break the spell and walk away from the heated dance floor as if nothing had happened; or do what his every sense was screaming at him to do: close the last bit of distance between him and her.

He felt everything start to fade as he slowly allowed his eyelids to droop, leaning forward and catching sight of Rukia doing the same. The anticipation had begun to build up inside him for the seemingly inevitable contact, and he braced himself for it before…

The sound of someone clearing their throat, rather loudly.

Not sure if he was more embarrassed or angry at having been interrupted, Ichigo whirled on the disruption himself and acted out in a release of the whirl of emotions that were going through him. Unluckily for the man, Ichigo's default outlet for whenever he had more than one emotion at a time was: anger.

"What the _hell_ do you want?"

-x-

Rukia felt something inside her drop.

All the feelings that had been coursing through her and the dread at being so abruptly interrupted were instantly replaced with something else the moment her eyes fell on the face of the new arrival.

"What the _hell_ do you want?"

As soon as the words were out of Ichigo's mouth, she felt like someone had just signed her death sentence. Or maybe his. Probably both.

Her eyes were wide as plates and her mouth opened and closed a couple of times before she was able to speak.

"B-brother…"

* * *

**A/N: *grins* I updated early, so I earned the right to give you that cliffhanger. I honestly wasn't even planning on ending it there, but when I noticed the number of pages was good, and I actually wrote out the scene...I couldn't resist. So sue me. XD Next chapter: Nii-sama finally shows up! I know some of you were waiting for that ;)**

**So, we finally made it to the Christmas party! Yay! And in case you didn't notice, Ichigo and Rukia match ;P Oh and by the way, thanks to _Rukia Martinez_ for suggesting using Hisagi as a pawn to make Ichigo jealous xD (I know this isn't what you had in mind, but seeing as I want to steer clear of love triangles in this story I used him to give ichigo a little extra push for this chapter hehe). **

**Oh and, yes- Ichigo didn't know how to dance lol. I hadn't originally planned that, but it was what seemed fitting for his character, so there you go. **

**On to the gratitude corner: _crunchy-chan, falconrukichi, inthenameofninny, 1999, shnizlefritz, ali6220, xXBleachluverXx, MN, MONST3R, youtubesam, lizzyytx33, Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky, dArkAnge04, novicestar, kyurikochan, ShinigamiShana, Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius, Poisonfish, TruantPony, Rukia Martinez _thank you all for your wonderful reviews!**

**We made it to 200 reviews!*throws confetti* Thanks a ton guys! My gift to you is this early chapter...nah jk, the chapter had nothing to do with the 200 reviews xD But they made me very happy!^^  
**

**And in a completely unrelated note; next week I'm supposed to take my practical exam for my driver's license. So wish me luck! (Yes, I'm resorting to asking my readers for luck...What? You never know!) XD**

** Til next time!:)_  
_**


	12. Christmas Party pt 2

**A/N: Chapter dedicated to Ichirukilover154 for her birthday!^^ (and anyone else reading this whose birthday I don't know about :P) Enjoy!**

* * *

"B-brother…"

It took a few seconds for the raging storm of emotions inside Ichigo to settle; and through the fading mess, he heard Rukia's shaky voice beside him. It was another moment longer before the image of the man standing before Ichigo began to register in his mind. The fine black hair, steely gray eyes and impassive expression…

This man was no other than Byakuya Kuchiki himself.

And Ichigo had just shouted in his face.

"Rukia," spoke a voice that could have cut through glass, and a gaze to match. "Would you care to explain why your _friend-_" he spat out the word like it was poisonous. "-is addressing me in such a rude manner?"

Ichigo could almost hear Rukia gulp. "Ah, Brother," she looked up at the imposing man. "This is Ichigo, Ichigo Kurosaki." she motioned to the orange-haired man with her head. "He's one of my coworkers at Seretei."

Byakuya's gray eyes moved to Ichigo. He seemed to be inspecting him with the type of look one would give an unsightly dead animal on the side of the road. Ichigo felt his dislike for the man rapidly increase. He got the impression that the man was used to having people instantly coward under his gaze, and in a show of defiance Ichigo instead chose to meet him head on.

"Byakuya Kuchiki, I assume." Ichigo spoke up, and extended his right hand. "Nice to meet you." He said with fabricated politeness, his hard brown eyes holding a sort of silent challenge in them.

The distaste in Byakuya's expression as he reluctantly took Ichigo's hand and shook it was obvious and made Ichigo both annoyed and somewhat smug. As soon as he had shaken his hand Byakuya ended the gesture and turned his attention back to Rukia, as if Ichigo's presence was inconsequential.

"You look well, Rukia." Byakuya said, not a hint of emotion in his voice, even as he complimented her. Ichigo resisted the urge to scoff. "Ukitake has told me that he is glad to have you working at the Seretei."

He saw Rukia's cheeks gain a rosy color. "Thank you, brother. I also am very glad to be working at Seretei. It is a suitable place and the people working there are all decent."

Ichigo felt something inside him cringe at the forced formality that he had never before heard in Rukia's voice. It was a far cry from the loud and cheeky, _lively_ Rukia that he knew. Another part of him was actually just feeling rather annoyed and…maybe disappointed…that she had just described the people she worked with -himself included- as _decent_.

"I am pleased to hear that." said Byakuya. "Perhaps we should continue this conversation in the seating area."

Ichigo actually opened his mouth to protest, feeling that he and Rukia definitely had some unfinished business, interrupted thanks to _him_, but before he could utter a word the raven-haired woman was nodding quickly and starting to move. "Yes, Brother."

Resisting the urge to groan, Ichigo had no choice but to comply and follow the two Kuchikis away from the dance floor and back to the tables. If Ichigo was being honest with himself, he wasn't really surprised when, at the moment of reaching the table and taking their seats, the older sibling shot him an icy look that clearly conveyed that the orange-haired man had _not_ been included in the 'we' when he'd asked to continue the conversation elsewhere. Ichigo didn't even attempt to wipe off the smirk that pulled up him lips as he took a seat right beside Rukia.

The table that Byakuya had led them to was empty except for their small party, and judging from the immaculate state of all the settings on the table it was indeed unused by anyone else. So when they sat, Ichigo and Byakuya at either side of a suddenly rather uncomfortable looking Rukia.

A few heartbeats of awkward silence followed before Byakuya broke the silence. "So, Rukia," His blatant focus on the woman and attempt to block out Ichigo as if he wasn't there made the orange-haired man have to suppress an urge to roll his eyes. "Tell me about your time working at the Seretei."

And so, Rukia launched into the tales of her last two months at Seretei, with a tone that seemed halfway eager and halfway nervous. To him, it seemed like the manner and speech of someone at their very first job interview or during a first date: someone desperately seeking for approval.

Ichigo felt the crease between his eyebrows deepening more and more as he sat there, listening to Rukia's anecdotes. He snuck glances every once in a while at Byakuya, but could never catch a single flicker of emotion on his stoic façade. He wondered if the guy was even paying attention to his sister. Rukia, however, either didn't notice this or pretended not to, going on as cheerfully as she could. The orange-haired man was only vaguely listening to her stories until his attention was suddenly heightened at the sound of his own name.

"-and Ichigo has been a great help." Rukia was saying, her tone almost imperceptibly softening. "Thanks to him I was able to keep up with the speed of the routine at Seretei; he has even helped me improve my writing abilities." Once she finished, the raven-haired woman took her gaze away from her brother and glanced over to her left as discreetly as possible; her deep violet orbs met Ichigo's and seemed to be trying to silently communicate feelings of gratitude. He acknowledged the gesture by allowing his lips to pull up into a smile, his eyes not wavering from hers.

The moment seemed to last just a few seconds too long, for they were once again interrupted by Byakuya's cold, but clearly displeased voice. "I see." he said, immediately conjuring Rukia's attention back to himself, much to Ichigo's chagrin. "However, you should not be quick to dismiss your own capabilities, Rukia. You may confuse other's apparent assistance with your own talent."

Ichigo could feel a vein ticking on his forehead at the insinuation, but he wasn't about to be disregarded so easily. "You're right, Byakuya." Ichigo could feel the man's grey eyes look at him sharply at the sound of his name being used so familiarly. "Rukia got this job all on her own." As he spoke, he casually placed a hand on Rukia's shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze that made the woman tense slightly beneath him. His gesture wasn't missed by Byakuya, and he grinned inwardly to himself as he saw the man's eyes settle on the hand that rested on his sister's shoulder before going back up to meet Ichigo's eyes.

Ichigo didn't miss the warning clearly displayed in the steely eyes, and he met them head on with a challenge of his own.

The silent stand off was interrupted by Rukia as she suddenly shot up to her feet, laughing nervously. "Well, I'm thirsty." she declared, her voice a few octaves higher than usual. Then her hand was on Ichigo's arm, her gaze turning to him sharply. "Ichigo, why don't you come with me to get a drink?"

"Actually, I'm not-" Ichigo started to protest, his testosterone levels running high and demanding some sort of confrontation with the other male. Before he could finish voicing a negative reply though, Rukia's grip tightened almost viciously on his arm, her eyes widening meaningfully as she enunciated her next words.

"_How about it,_ Ichigo?"

Ichigo wasn't stupid enough to not know when there was only one course of action that didn't involve imminent danger to his own neck; testosterone levels, be damned.

"Eh, sure-" he switched to a positive response, and Rukia's hand relaxed accordingly as he got to his feet.

Before they could even start in the direction of the bar, however, Byakuya's voice cut through as he stood as well. "I believe I could do with a drink myself. If you do not mind me accompanying you, Rukia."

Even as the ebony-haired man spoke, his hard eyes were on Ichigo's, just daring him to voice any complaints.

_Don't you trust me alone with your sister even for a quick drink? _Ichigo found himself gritting his teeth to swallow back the thought and a few other choice words that wanted desperately to be uttered. The tension between them was nearly palpable.

Ichigo was barely aware of Rukia looking from one to the other, presumably searching for some way to ease the atmosphere, when she was saved by a new arrival.

"Byakuya, it's good to see you!" Ukitake came up behind the stone-faced man, putting a hand on his shoulder in an amiable gesture. His entire friendly demeanor clashed almost comically with Byakuya's guarded posture. "I was wondering if you would make it."

Byakuya tore his eyes away from Ichigo's and closed them in what seemed like a dignified manner, giving one curt nod. "I was able to work my schedule around tonight. It had been a while since I was able to meet my sister, after all."

Out of the four present, only Ukitake seemed to show any reaction to Byakuya's words, by giving his shoulder a couple of good-natured claps. "Of course. And I imagine you would want to be here to celebrate Rukia finishing her internship."

Something in the atmosphere changed right then. A less perceptive person would have probably missed it, but as attentive as Ichigo was during that moment, he couldn't fail to see the sudden shift in Byakuya Kuchiki. His posture seemed to stiffen considerably -which was a feat in itself-, and his eyes snapped open, immediately settling on Rukia. The normally smooth features of his face were disturbed by a slight but unmistakable crease of his perfect black eyebrows.

Without needing to look, Ichigo could almost sense Rukia's corresponding shift as well. It was as if the temperature had suddenly dropped a few degrees.

Blissfully unaware of the sudden change, Ukitake went on in his signature mild manner. "We are all very thrilled to have Rukia as a fulltime writer for our newspaper."

His gaze not wavering from Rukia's, Byakuya spoke as if he hadn't heard the rest of Ukitake's statement. "An internship, you say?"

Without being the object of that grey gaze for once, Ichigo could still feel its apparent ability to cut through glass. He risked a look to the side and saw that Rukia's stance seemed to have weakened. Her eyes were looking up at her brother with a mixture of shame and fear. She seemed to unconsciously take a step backwards before she spoke. "I-I meant to tell you about the internship, Brother. I just, I-"

Whatever words of explanation that she was going to give were cut off as she felt a large hand settle on her small shoulder.

Ichigo had just put his hand on her ridiculously tense shoulder, his entire posture shifting almost imperceptibly in her direction. He straightened his tall frame so that he could meet Byakuya's eyes as evenly as possible. He could feel Rukia's gaze flash up to look at him in surprise, but he didn't move his own gaze from the man before him.

Something inside Ichigo had stirred when he saw Rukia look up at her brother with those emotions in her eyes. As she had began to stutter some kind of explanation, he felt a different kind of anger rise inside him, different from the earlier show of male pride. What he felt now was something more in line with protectiveness.

No sister should ever have to look at her brother like that.

"Ichigo…" Rukia muttered beside him, her voice hushed an slightly astonished.

Ichigo gave her shoulder a light squeeze in response, but didn't take his glare off Byakuya.

Ukitake, unable to ignore the drastic rise in tension broke in, his voice holding a slight edge that Ichigo had rarely heard before. "We are all very proud of Rukia's accomplishments." he said with a straight face, his brown eyes going from Rukia to Byakuya. "As I am sure you are too, Byakuya." Though his tone and face remained mild, there was an underlying hardness that was impossible to miss in Ukitake's eyes as he too, looked at Byakuya. "Isn't that right?"

There were two heartbeats of utter silence, in which the tension in the air could have been cut through with a knife. Then Byakuya blinked slowly, and when his eyes opened they were no longer glinting with hardness, but something else as he looked at Rukia.

"That is correct." he said, and Ichigo could almost hear Rukia's sudden intake of breath. "You have brought pride to our family, Rukia."

There was no more emotion than usual in Byakuya's words, but in his eyes…Even Ichigo could see the glint in the silvery orbs. When he looked down to see Rukia, he found that her eyes had widened and her mouth was parted in surprise.

"Th-thank you, Brother." she finally managed to say, lowering her head as emotion filled her voice.

Byakuya nodded once again, adding nothing else.

Ichigo caught sight of Ukitake beginning to smile, and he somehow understood that nothing else needed to be said. There was no telling how long the following comfortable silence would have lasted if not for Ukitake speaking up.

"I'm afraid I must leave you now." The white-haired man said, shooting a sideways glance to the stage where the band was still playing, but people were beginning to climb onstage to start gathering up equipment. "It's time for the end-of-the-year speech; Kiyone and Sentaro must be going crazy looking for me already."

With Ichigo and Rukia nodding and giving their due smiles, Ukitake walked off in the direction of the stage. Ichigo was about to turn back to Byakuya, but fortunately he was spared from struggling to find a topic of conversation by the generic ring of a cell phone.

_Saved by the bell_ he couldn't help but think to himself.

"Excuse me," Byakuya said, slipping out the silver handheld from an inner pocket of his pristine jacket. "I must tend to this." When no one protested, he looked at the raven-haired woman. "Rukia," he gave her a nod that must have been his farewell gesture. Ichigo stood there, expecting the man to give him some sort of disgruntled goodbye as well, but to his infinite irritation, he merely swept his gaze over his head as if he wasn't even there, then turned on his heel, taking the phone to his ear and walking away without further ado.

Ichigo struggled against the increasing urge of making a rude gesture only for Rukia's sake.

Speaking of whom…

"So that's your brother, huh…" Ichigo said to her, both keeping their eyes on the man's retreating back.

He caught the movement of Rukia nodding silently beside him from the corner of his eye.

"Charming."

-x-

Once Byakuya had disappeared definitely into the crowd, Rukia felt herself releasing an almost imperceptible breath of what could only be described as relief.

All things considered, she thought that the encounter had gone remarkably well.

It was another few moments longer before she turned her attention back to the orange-haired man at her side. "Umm, Ichigo…"

"Yeah?" he looked down at her.

She opened her mouth to speak, but felt herself momentarily silenced as she was unexpectedly caught in his brown eyes. In the closeness, she could clearly tell that they were actually closer to amber than brown, and his honeyed gaze seemed both soft and intense as they he met her eyes. With her brother and all other distractions gone, she was quickly reminded of the situation that they had been in just before Byakuya made an appearance. The feeling was heightened even further by the fact that Ichigo's warm hand was still resting casually on her shoulder, almost as if he had forgotten it was there. She certainly hadn't.

"Nothing." she said at last, shaking her head dismissively. It was quick, but it was impossible to miss the flash of disappointment that passed through Ichigo's eyes.

He absently slid his hand off her shoulder, and Rukia found herself instantly wishing he hadn't; then he turned his gaze away and motioned towards the bar.

"I think I could use that drink right about now." he said.

_You read my mind,_ thought Rukia as they set about on their way to the bar.

They had scarcely made it there and ordered a couple of drinks -Jack Daniels for Ichigo and an apple martini for Rukia- when the sudden silence of the music stopping filled the entire ballroom, immediately followed by the indefinable chorus of people talking amongst themselves.

Ichigo and Rukia directed their attention to the stage, and saw Kiyone standing there in a champagne colored dress, trying to adjust the mike stand to her stature while Sentaro -wearing a purple shirt with a rather loud golden tie- struggled to position it at center stage. The pair shifted around for a few minutes uselessly, before the ear-splitting sound of feedback made everyone halt their activities to cover their ears and flinch.

"See, I told you the mike works!" Kiyone's voice could be heard, just a little away from said microphone.

"I know it does, I was telling you to back away so we didn't get feedback like that!" Sentaro responded.

Kiyone was just about to respond when the sound of someone coughing lightly behind them brought them back to themselves. The dirty blonde quickly straightened out her shimmering dress and took the microphone, while less-than-inconspicuously shoving away the man beside her.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she started, her voice just a little too loud to be considered polite. "We'd like a moment of your attention, please." As if everyone's eyes weren't on the bickering pair already. "Mr. Jushiro Ukitake would like to say a few words." Then she took a step back and promptly began a solitary applause, followed immediately by Sentaro's even more enthusiastic clapping. As the snow-haired editor of Seretei stepped forward to the microphone, a wave of initially hesitant then more genuine applause joined Kiyone and Sentaro.

Ukitake stood in his gray suit looking over the room with that perpetual smile of his and soft brown eyes, turning slightly away only once to cough into a handkerchief before returning his attention to the crowd of Seretei employees as well as other guests.

"Good evening, everyone." He started pleasantly. "I am glad to see you could all make it here, for this year's Christmas party. We've had a wonderful turnout this year. And the Gotei has been terribly welcoming of us, so I would like to take a moment to thank all the staff tonight," A short round of applause swept over the room and Ukitake smiled more widely. "I am sure that I speak not only for myself when I say that the service and quality have been excellent. That being said, I would like to address all of my colleagues at the Seretei Daily now."

The room was submerged in a collective respectful silence, each person giving their undivided attention to their beloved boss.

"This has been a remarkably good year for our newspaper." Ukitake continued. "I have been working at the Seretei for more years than I am willing to count for fear of revealing my age," there was a light laugh from his audience in response. "And I can say that through all this time I have known as many hardships as any man could, and together with friends and hardworking people we have always managed to pull through anything and everything that has been thrown at us. I still remember back when my uncle first introduced me to the Seretei, I had been in awe of everything it represented, and I had been scared as a young lad of the day when I would have to continue the great legacy of Genryuusai Yamamoto. But alas, it has truly been a blessing. Back then I never would have thought I would ever be standing here, looking at the faces of so many people that I have come to respect and admire so much.

"Thank you, everyone. It is thanks to each and every one of you that Seretei is what it is today, and moreover thanks to all of you I am able to stand here and feel the pride of being able to serve such a high quality newspaper. To those who have been with us for many seasons and to those who have just recently gotten on board," His eyes swept through the room and it seemed to Rukia that for a moment, they met hers and smiled down at her before continuing their path. "I thank you all. It has been a pleasure working with you, and I would never trade my years at the Seretei for all the gold in the world."

Ukitake paused, letting his words sink in for a moment before going on. His ever-present smile now faltered, and Rukia could have sworn that she heard him sigh away from the mike. "This is…" he hesitated, his eyes lowered. "This will be the last time I address you as the chief editor of Seretei Daily."

It seemed like a switch was suddenly turned off. The utter silence that swept over the ballroom was distinctively deafening; the expression 'you could hear a pin drop' had never held more truth. It was as if the whole world -or at least everyone in the ballroom- had been put on 'pause'. Nobody spoke, or move; it was hard to tell if anyone even breathed for a couple of seconds.

And then as if the 'play' button was hit, everyone started again. Murmurs sounded everywhere, whisperings of disbelief and mostly discontentment went through those present, a few gasps mingling in as well. Beside her, Rukia could feel Ichigo tense up as she drew in a sharp breath.

"_What?"_

It was the dirty blond secretary, Kiyone, who finally voiced everyone's thoughts in one disbelieving breath that was just short of a screech.

Ukitake sighed wearily, his shoulders slumping slightly like a great weight had come down on him as he raised a hand in a gesture for everyone to be quiet again. "The time has come for me to retire, and allow our dear newspaper to go into the hands of a younger generation."

More murmurs of protest rose from the crowd but Ukitake again silenced them with a hand. "It has been a true privilege and honor working with you. Now I must step down, and leave you in the hands of a new editor chief." There was quiet again as everyone waited with peaked anxiety for the name of their soon-to-be new boss. Ukitake's voice was unreadable as he said,

"Sosuke Aizen."

Rukia blinked, an image of the bespectacled man entering her mind before she saw the real person stepping up on the stage and walking up to Ukitake. Only, he was dressed for the evening in a stylish tux, and his generally messy brown hair was now slicked back to perfection; his square-framed glasses were missing now, and he wore a suave smile as he began to speak smoothly into the microphone, beginning some sort of follow-up speech that she wasn't really paying attention to. He looked like a completely different person from the man she had met before at the Seretei building.

Before she could even turn to voice her thoughts, she felt Ichigo move suddenly. Without warning, the orange-haired man had turned and started walking away, his face twisted into a deep scowl and his hands clutched into tight fists at his sides. Even as he got further, she couldn't miss the impossibly tense set of his back and unnecessary brash steps.

Taking a quick look at the untouched glass of liquor he left behind on the counter, Rukia set down her own martini and hurriedly turned back, intending to follow after Ichigo. But before she could even go two steps in her haste, she was stopped short. Or rather, she crashed into something hard enough that the impact nearly sent her flying back on her butt.

She would have landed that way too, if not for the arms that shot out and snaked around her waist and wrist and pulled her back before she could. Before she knew it, Rukia was being pressed into someone's chest. A small gasp of surprise escaped her as she attempted to pull back but was held firmly in place. She could just tilt her head back enough to see the face of the man who held her, and immediately felt a chill run down her spine.

"Hi ya' there!" said the silver-haired grinning man. "Better watch yer' step, next time I might not be so nice and catch ya'."

Gin Ichimaru looked down at her with a widening smile. Rukia pulled away and this time felt his hold give; she wasted no time stepping hurriedly back, bumping against the cold edge of the counter almost immediately after.

Ichimaru watched her with apparent amusement. "No need ta' look so scared, I'm just teasing."

"I'm sorry," she managed to say with forced politeness that only years of practice could produce. "I have to get going-"

"Rukia!" a distinctly female voice suddenly chimed, and before Rukia could step around Ichimaru's tall form she found her way blocked yet again. This time by a rather delighted looking blonde.

"Rangiku," Rukia said, seeing the blonde wearing a provocative red dress and a wide grin that would have been goofy on anyone else. It didn't take a genius to figure out she'd been visiting the bar since earlier.

"Ah!" Rangiku's clear blue eyes widened suddenly as her gaze went from Rukia to the silver-haired man and she suddenly clapped her hands together, bouncing excitedly and causing her rather ill-concealed assets to nearly pop out of her dress. "I see you've met Gin!"

The bubbly tone and the way her eyes shone at the mere mention of his name…The realization hit Rukia and made something in her feel slightly queasy. "Err…I guess." Rukia said hesitantly.

Rangiku, blissfully unaware to the raven-haired woman's unease, went on talking. "Oh let me give you guys a proper introduction then! Gin, Rukia is my friend from work. Gin is," she moved her gaze to the man and Rukia saw the glassy orbs soften affectionately.

"I'm Ran's oldest and most dearest friend." Ichimaru supplied an answer for her, looking down at the busty blonde, before turning back to Rukia. "It's nice ta' formally meet ya', _Rukia_."

Hearing her name coming from the man's lips was almost like hearing a snake hiss in Rukia's mind; it felt _wrong_.

"You look fantastic, Rukia!" Rangiku chattered on in her ignorant cheer. "That dress brings out the curves I didn't even know you had!"

Another night, Rukia might have been a bit offended by the remark, but as it was, she barely even registered it. Backing away from the pair, she excused herself weakly. "It was good seeing you, Rangiku. But I," she turned her gaze away towards the crowd, unable to spot even a glimpse of familiar bright orange spikes. "-really have something to deal with now. Sorry to have to cut this short…" she had barely finished her halfhearted apology when she had turned away and started towards the now barely-crowded dance floor.

"Oh, okay! See you later Rukia!" Rangiku called after her. "Say hi to Ichigo for me!"

And then Rukia couldn't hear her anymore. She was hurrying along the ballroom, scanning every inch of it for any sign of the fleeting orange-head. Seeing nothing, she made it to the staircase she had come in through and rushed up the steps, not even bothering to be merciful on her high-heeled feet. Once at the top of the staircase, she gave the ballroom one more sweeping glance, and once again seeing nothing, she turned and headed outside.

Ichigo wasn't out in the main lobby, the area where the ballroom exited to; and she greatly doubted that he had gone for a spin in the casino or a revisit of the arcade room. There was only one logical option, and Rukia raced to the elevators after it.

When she finally made it to the sixth floor and down the long hall to room 615, she was surprised at finding the door already open, but not so much at seeing who was inside.

"Ichigo,"

He stopped at the sound of her voice. From the looks of it, he had been caught up in the middle of some intense pacing, along with an always classy string of colorful curses muttered under his breath.

"Rukia?"

The worried feelings that she knew must have been showing on her face melted quickly into a mask of irritation. "Well don't look so surprised to see me." She stepped inside the room and fixed him with a hard stare. "What _was_ that? You ran off like the building was on fire!"

Rukia honestly hadn't meant to come off so angry; but after rushing all the way to the room in search of him, and once she began speaking, it was like all the concern she'd felt for him had mutated into anger. Or maybe it was just her way of expressing an emotion she wasn't particularly comfortable with showing…

Ichigo, not one to be outdone, recovered quickly from his short startled period. "Sorry, I didn't know you had been appointed as my babysitter. Next time I'll be sure you get the memo whenever I plan to leave a place!"

His biting remark did nothing to throw Rukia off, quite the contrary actually. It only spurred her on with more force than before. "At least a little warning would be nice!" she shot back. "People tend to get alarmed when they see someone rush out without a single word or look of explanation, for no apparent reason!"

Ichigo was already opening his mouth to shoot his next retort, but Rukia spoke again before he could.

"Would it have killed you to at least give me a little heads up?" She asked in a much more moderated tone that was successful in halting Ichigo in his tracks. She deliberated only a moment before asking, "Aren't we friends?"

Ichigo didn't respond for a long moment, but Rukia could see as his defensive stance slowly eased and finally his shoulders slumped in defeat. He reached up a hand to scratch the back of his head and he averted his eyes almost shyly. "I…" he hesitated. "Is that what we are?"

The question caught Rukia unguarded, though she really should have expected it. The memory of their bodies moving close together as they danced and their faces inches from each other, if another moment had gone by they would have…

Rukia shook herself out of those thoughts; she'd ponder those at a more appropriate time. For the moment she had more pressing questions. Letting out a weak chuckle, she looked at Ichigo sheepishly, silently trying to convey her acknowledgement of the question, and the fact that she knew they would have to get around to answering it eventually; just not right then. Fortunately for her, as Ichigo met her eyes, it seemed he understood, giving her an almost imperceptible nod.

"What happened?" Rukia asked a bit more softly after their moment of understanding was over, returning to the issue that had brought her nearly running there. "Was it about Ukitake's retirement?" She ventured the question, trying to connect the moment when Ichigo suddenly took off with what was happening at the time.

Ichigo looked at her with hesitation burning in his brown orbs, like he was inwardly debating whether he should tell her or not. She waited patiently, as a new question surfaced in her mind.

"…Is it about Aizen?"

The way Ichigo's whole frame stiffened and his eyes shot up to hers was answer enough. Rukia began to get a sinking feeling. All of a sudden things started to come back to her then, like pieces of a puzzle reappearing before her now that the possibility of new answers presented itself.

Ichigo's job at Seretei being threatened, his secretive research, his friend being shot and him behaving like he was to blame… A question that she had been pushing to the very back of her mind resurfaced then.

Just what had Ichigo gotten himself into?

-x-

Ichigo saw her, standing at the threshold of the room with a thousand questions going through her eyes, her stand unwavering as she waited for him to talk. She was still wearing the shimmering silver dress, and even though hours had passed, her make up and hair were still intact. She looked as much a vision of moonlight as she had when she had first entered the ballroom.

He could still remember all-too-clearly the feel of her delicate body under his touch, swaying against him with graceful and fluid movements that reminded him of water.

But now she was no longer water; she was as steady and unrelenting as wood.

His gaze was remorseful but his tone was firm as he met her inquiring eyes and spoke. "I can't tell you."

The crease in her eyebrows was almost instant after he said that. He knew enough about Rukia to see that she was not satisfied with his answer. "Ichigo-"

"I said I _can't_." He cut her off, a little more harshly than he'd intended, but if it was what he had to do, then he would. He started to turn his back to her, meaning to head to the bathroom and maybe take a shower for a much needed cool down. "Leave this alone, Rukia."

"No."

The single, but utterly final word made him turn back to look at her. "What?" He couldn't help but gasp out dumbly.

"No," she repeated, an almost smug tint to her voice. "You're not just going to push me away now. I don't know what's going on, but _something_ must be happening in order to have you running out of a room like that at the mere mention of a man's name. I have kept my distance because if you haven't told me, then you must have your reasons. But now I have my reasons for thinking that this is more important than I originally thought. And if something is so seriously troubling you, Ichigo…" she paused, seemingly making sure that he was paying attention. "Then you should tell someone."

Ichigo held her gaze head on for a few seconds before scoffing lightly. "You sound like a shrink."

Rukia's gaze didn't waver. She wasn't backing down on. Ichigo deliberated quickly before finally releasing an annoyed breath and walking over to where she stood, closing the distance between them in a few short strides, then passing right by her. He didn't pause to see her look at him in surprise as he reached for the knob of the still wide open door of the room, and promptly shutting it firmly. Then he turned back and found himself facing Rukia, who now stood only a few inches away from her.

"You don't understand." he said, his tone slightly hushed despite the privacy of the closed door. "This is bigger than just me." He looked at her and hoped she could see the urgency in his eyes as well as his voice. "I can't risk involving you by telling you."

"Is it dangerous?" came her immediate reply, without so much as a stutter.

Ichigo hesitated for a moment, the image of Chad lying in a hospital bed flashing through his mind and making him grit his teeth. "Yes." he said finally.

"Then all the more reason for you to tell me."

"_No!"_ Ichigo hissed, his frustration seeping through. "It's enough of a gamble for me already, you'd just be stupid to willingly get mixed up into it."

"So call me stupid." Rukia retorted stubbornly. "I'm already mixed up. Even if I don't know exactly what's going on, I do know that _something_ is up and I know that it involves you, possibly Sosuke Aizen; and if my guessing is correct, a man being _shot_."

Ichigo was suddenly backtracked by hearing her say that; so she'd already put this together with Chad's incident. He actually hadn't expected that; he was both slightly impressed and annoyed by the fact. It made things all the more difficult.

"I can see from the look on your face that I'm right," Rukia went on to say, making his scowl deepen. "And the way I see it, having all this information would count as me being involved." she concluded almost triumphantly. "Now, would you stop being stubborn and just fill me in with the rest?"

Ichigo was at a loss of what to do. She did have a point, much as he hated to admit it. And knowing Rukia, she wouldn't just back away and pretend nothing happened if he continued to refuse her. Chances were she'd either keep harassing him to tell her, or worse, try to find out herself and end up really getting herself in deep shit.

The realization made him groan in defeat and glare down at the petite raven-head. "Fine." he said grudgingly, then exhaled loudly before moving over to the bed and flopping down on the soft golden sheets and motioning for her to do the same. Once she was sitting next to him, he began.

"It goes without saying that you can't say a word about this, to _anyone_, right?" He looked at her with a scowl and her response was to roll her eyes.

"Now that we've established the obvious…" she said.

Ichigo glared at her. "Just be glad that I'm telling you, okay? I don't need your sarcasm."

She held up her hands, palms forward in a gesture of peace. "Go ahead."

And now, Ichigo sighed, allowing himself to say what he'd swore he wouldn't tell anyone else. "I've been after Sosuke Aizen for almost a year now." he said, his eyes fixed on a painting on the wall opposite to him as he spoke. "He's involved in dealings with the Arrancars, I think he has been for a long time."

He could almost hear Rukia's eyes widening along with the small intake of breath at the mention of the gang. "The _Arrancars_? How do you-?"

"I know." Ichigo said simply. "But I need the evidence to prove it, and for all the months that I've spent trying to dig into his life and find connections to his shady business, I have _nothing_ to show for it. Aside from ties with Gin Ichimaru, a long-time suspect of working with the Arrancars, I can't come up with anything concrete. It's ridiculous; the guy is a master at covering up his tracks. I can't get anything on him."

Rukia's expression was grim; she didn't speak for a long moment, and when she did, her tone was dark. "That's a very serious accusation." she said, and Ichigo could begin to feel the frustration rising.

Of course she wouldn't believe him; he shouldn't be surprised by that-

"You'll need to get solid proof before you out a story like this." Rukia went on to say, halting Ichigo's thoughts and making him look at her in surprise.

She didn't question him, didn't ask what evidence he had. Didn't say he was crazy, stupid, deluded, or all of the above. She just believed him. It was strangely…comforting.

As he watched her eyebrows etch closer and closer together, Ichigo could almost see the wheels in her mind turning as she tried to piece things together. Her arms were folded over her chest and her eyes were narrowed at the floor, deep in thought. "The Arrancars are dangerous; trying to expose a scandal like this could cost you more than your job if you don't succeed." she stated, and then her serious violet eyes looked up at him. "You know this, don't you?"

It wasn't a question, that much he could tell.

"Yet you're still pursuing it?" she continued, as if by voicing her thoughts she could make better sense of them. "Even after…?"

_Even after your friend was nearly killed, _Ichigo finished in his mind.

Rukia waited a moment before going on. "What I don't understand is…Why?" she looked at him earnestly, honestly trying to figure out what reason he could possibly have for going on such a mad quest. "Exposing one dirty business man; it would make a great story for sure, but alone, it's not worth all this risk. I know you're not _that_ ambitious, so you must have some more personal reason for wanting to catch Aizen."

Ichigo felt himself tense up. "That's none of your business." he snapped, getting on his feet and starting towards the bathroom, intending for a quick get-away.

Rukia was quick to react though; he hadn't gone two steps when he heard her stand up as well and without warning she had taken his arm and spun him around to face her. "Ichigo," she said his name forcefully, as if hoping to root him in place with it. "You're putting a lot on the line for this. Just why does this mean so much to you?"

Ichigo wanted to snap at her. He wanted to bark and yell and tell her off for being nosey, to tell her to leave him alone and worry about her own goddamn problems…But the way her violet gaze held him, the firm grip of her hand on his arm, the thin line of her mouth as she silently pleaded for him to tell her…

And the weaker part of Ichigo was already giving in. He could feel the carefully crafted walls that he had long ago set around himself begin to crumble as his selfish desire to share his burden for once began to take control of him. Her steady violet eyes were inviting him, _asking_ him to tell her…And so he did.

Against what every fiber of his being had taught him in the past years, Ichigo let down his guard and allowed himself to speak the words that still haunted him inside.

"The Arrancars are the people who killed my mother."

Ichigo closed his eyes and allowed the inevitable rush of memories fill his mind.

"_Mom!_" his innocent, back then childlike voice resonated within his mind. _"What's wrong, Mom? Are we lost?"_

"_Be quiet, Ichigo._" The beautiful woman's voice was calm and soothing even as she half-whispered the command. Then she had taken his pudgy little hand and pulled him along as she began running.

Ichigo could still recall with awful clarity how his heart had began pounding, the feeling that something was utterly wrong creeping into his young mind.

"I was nine years old." His adult self spoke, his eyes still closed as he kept his voice controlled. "We had been on our way home after karate practice. It was raining…"

He could recall all too clearly the dark grey skies and the rain drops that began falling lightly. His mom had told him that they should hurry home- it was still a few blocks away and they didn't want to catch a cold, did they?

His fists tightened as he bitterly remembered his mom's words.

"But I wanted to take a detour," Ichigo said, unable to keep some of his self-hatred seep into his voice. "There was a homeless pup that I fed on occasion, and I wanted to pass by and see if he was okay." And then he laughed; a cracked, bitter, twisted version of a laugh. "She knew it was stupid, but she still gave into my childish whims…And look where it got her."

He was angry. He was angry at himself and even at his Mom for being so kind that it led to…

Ichigo failed to notice that he had begun to shake until he felt Rukia's hand, still on his arm, tighten her grip. His eyes snapped open then and immediately locked with hers.

"You don't have to go any further." she spoke quietly, her eyes glassy, as if reflecting his own grief. She didn't say anything else; she was giving him the option to stop then, or go on if he wanted to.

But he had already started. He couldn't stop the torrent of memories and emotions even if he stopped talking.

His eyes became unfocused as he reentered the day that he would never forget.

_Ichigo looked into his mother's soft brown eyes. Something was different about them…Normally she looked at him with calm affection, but now there was something else in them. An urgency…_

"_Ichigo," she spoke hurriedly, her hands taking hold of his shoulders as she kneeled before him. "Stay in here." she said. "Don't come out until I come get you, no matter what. You understand?"_

"_But mom," he started to protest. Something wasn't right. _

"_Just do as I say, Ichigo." she interrupted, using a parental authority in her voice that she hardly ever wore. "No matter what you see or hear…don't come out."_

_Ichigo felt a lump in his throat, though he didn't quite understand why._

_He was scared. It scared him to see his mom like this. He wanted to help, but she'd already made it clear that he was to stay put. If that was all he could do to help…Then he would. "Okay." he nodded finally, pushing back all his fear and forcing himself to look strong for her._

_She smiled then, a small but beautiful cherry smile that reminded him of sunshine and home baked cookies. Then without warning, he was being pulled into her arms in a warm embrace, and he felt her lips on his cheek before she spoke. "That's my brave man." she said in his ear. "I'm very proud of you, Ichigo."_

_Ichigo thought it was a weird thing to say, but he didn't question it. Instead, he wrapped his small arms around her neck and buried his face in her light hair. "I love you, Mom." he whispered the words that he was usually too embarrassed to say out loud._

"_I love you too, Ichigo." she said, and before he could say anything else she had pulled away._

_Ichigo was left alone, the rain feeling unnaturally cold and harsh as he was stripped of the warmth of his mother's embrace. _

"She knew what was happening." Ichigo spoke now. "She told me to hide, and I did. She told me not to come out, no matter what…And I _didn't_." he lowered his gaze, feeling the shame at himself settling in. "Not until I heard the gunshots, at least."

_Ichigo felt his eyes widen when he heard the sound. At first he thought it might be thunder, but it didn't sound like thunder. It was a sound that he'd only ever heard in movies…_

_When realization struck, he felt himself freeze in place. His heart beat so ferociously that he thought it would be heard over the sound of the rain, and it took all his effort not to begin crying right then. But then another, even worse, realization struck him._

"_Mom…" the word escaped him, almost silent in the midst of the rain._

_Forgetting her earlier instructions, he did what his instincts told him to. He got to his feet and dashed out of his hiding place behind the filthy dumpster in the alley, and rushed like his life depended on it. He still felt afraid, but the thought of his mother kept him running, overriding his fear. _

_He didn't need to go very far when he saw her._

_Immediately recognizing her long caramel hair spilling over the street, he ran over to the figure lying on the pavement without a second thought to anything else. _

"_Mom!" he yelled, the more innocent part of his mind hoping that she had tripped like he often did on the playground and had scraped her knee. Certainly that was the explanation for the red liquid mingling on the street with the rain all around her…_

_But even his childish mind knew that the amount of crimson was too much for a single scraped knee, yet he didn't allow the thought to fully register in his mind and kept running until he fell to his knees beside her. _

_She was face down, but he could see the side of her face; her eyes were closed._

"She was already dead when I found her." Ichigo spoke, his voice oddly hollow at this point. "I started shaking her, calling out to her…" He knew his gaze was faraway as he spoke; haunted. "I cried for her to wake up. I honestly don't know how long I sat there…but eventually, I noticed _them."_ His tone darkened considerably. "Or rather, they noticed me."

_Ichigo's hands were stained red, and his face was streaked with tears, although they were made invisible by the rain. His voice had long gone hoarse, but he hadn't stopped yelling out for her…_

"_Mom!" he cried, as futile as it might have been. He felt maybe if he tried hard enough, she would wake up…_

_It wasn't until he felt a shadow fall over them that he finally went silent and still._

_He looked up, his body beginning to tremble slightly. Then he saw the tall figure of a man standing over them._

_He was large and meaty; the type of guy Ichigo was used to seeing in those cooking shows his mom liked to watch. His hair was the color of chestnuts, and it fell past his shoulders while sticking to the sides of his wet face. Ichigo thought the look was more appropriate for a woman than a man, though nothing in the man's face seemed soft enough to be feminine._

"_Huh, would you look at that?" The man spoke in an ugly voice. A scar ran down the length of his face and it twisted gruesomely as his lips pulled into a sneer. "The little brat showed himself."_

_His beady lack eyes fixed on Ichigo as he suddenly raised his hand, and pointed the silver weapon, which Ichigo recognized as a gun, straight at him._

_Ichigo's eyes widened in terror, before he quickly shut them and grit his teeth tightly together, expecting to hear a thunderous sound like before…_

"_Grand Fisher,"_

_The sound of a new voice came instead; silky and smooth as opposed to the large man's. Ichigo dared open his eyes and he saw another man had appeared. He was the opposite of the first man in almost every aspect; from his smooth, handsome face to his fine attire. And yet, the sight of him seemed all the more terrifying to Ichigo. _

"_There's no need to kill the boy now." the second man said, his tone and expression serene. "We've already collected our dues."_

_The first man looked back at him, clearly displeased. "But boss-"_

"_I said," the second man spoke again, this time his tone was dangerously cool; it sent a shiver down Ichigo's body. "Leave him be. Or are you keen on disobeying me?"_

_The large man's eyes looked straight at Ichigo, then back at the other man, until finally settling on the woman lying on the pavement. He released a sigh and grimaced unhappily, but lowered his gun. "I guess I can settle with the bitch, for now." Then all of a sudden, his twisted smile returned, his gaze still on the motionless woman. "Women are the most fun anyway. This one was particularly good. I guess I can call it even."_

_The second man said nothing, and as Ichigo watched, the two started to turn and walk away. But not before the second man looked over his shoulder one last time; Ichigo froze, thinking he was looking at him. But then he realized, the man was looking at his mother. And even as he watched, the man's lips pulled up into a smile. Ichigo could feel the image of those calm brown eyes and that cruel smile burning into his memory, as vivid and harsh as the red of his mother's blood mixing with the rain._

_And then they were gone._

_Ichigo's small frame shivered under the relentless rain, and he probably would never be able to tell if it was due to the cold._

_He was left alone, with his sleeping mother; the falling rain disguising the sound of his cries._

"I'll never forget their faces." Ichigo spoke, back at the hotel room. "I saw the one he called 'Grand Fisher' again on the plenty of times."

He could see Rukia nodding from the corner of his eye; of course she'd seen him too. The guy had been Wanted by the Japanese police for almost ten years, and his face was shown on the news all the time announcing new victims believed to have been killed by him. Everyone knew of Grand Fisher.

"But I didn't see the other man until a couple of years ago, not long after I started at Seretei." he went on. "At first I was doubtful, I didn't really believe it, you know? But not really…That face…I'll never forget that face."

Then Ichigo's expression darkened. "He is the one who killed my mom."

-x-

The turmoil in Ichigo's eyes and his voice burned something inside of Rukia. The poorly disguised pain caused by his horrible memories cut through her like a knife. She'd never been insensitive to other people's hurt, but this was different.

Each time she saw Ichigo's tortured brown eyes she felt like someone was stabbing her. She wanted nothing more than to wrap him in her arms and tell him that everything would be alright, _anything _to erase that look from his face. But she knew perfectly well that something like that would be pointless. Lying to him would only make it worse…So she did the only thing she could do.

Without a word, she extended her arms towards him, tentatively touching his arms, waiting for his reaction. His eyes widened for a moment, but he didn't push her away. Then, to her complete surprise, he actually put his arms around her shoulders and pulled her softly to himself.

She let out a small squeak of surprise as she suddenly found herself pressed against the black fabric of his shirt, but she recovered quickly. Without any more hesitation, she lowered her arms and wrapped them around his waist, placing one palm against his back and rubbing it up and down as soothingly as possible as she felt him begin to shake in her arms.

All thoughts of questioning him about Aizen or anything else were gone from her mind. All that she could think of now was the pain that Ichigo had just shared with her and comforting him in the only way she could.

She knew that no words could ever hope to fix or lessen such a pain, and she wouldn't pretend otherwise; so she just held him and quietly allowed him to release the storm of feelings inside him.

* * *

**A/N: My God that chapter was hard to write. I think it's been the hardest yet. Well, it was quite the change of pace from the last chapters xD Sorry for the overall lack of IchiRuki-ness, but I did dig deeper into the whole mystery of Ichigo's doings at last! (not such a mystery anymore!) And he shares his past with Rukia...A turning point in any IchiRuki story ;) (not to mention meeting his bro-in-law..talk about scary xD) Well, I hope it was enjoyable despite the lack of romance. Don't worry, we'll be getting back to that very soon. Oh and Gin showed up again! YAY! I love writing Gin...I think it's scary how much I absolutely love writing Gin XD  
**

**May I just say to all of you, my lovely reviewers, that you are AWESOME? Because you are. 30 reviews for one chapter? Never thought I'd see the day!:'D So: **

_**Ichirukilover154, MN **_**(hehe sorry I made you beg ;P)**_**, Vinni-chan, Hunny sempai, P, I am L, inthenameofninny, 1999, Lena, AnimeFanx3, youtubesam, Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky, ZoraOfTheLight, Mowcat, White-Rabbit914, ADVluv4life, NightDiamond358, inthegarage, VioletCrush, falconrukichi, Poisonfish, novicestar, Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius, BleachOrcalover13, xXBleachluverXx, TruantPony, Alyssa, Mae Snapdragon, **_**and **_**Rukia Martinez**_

**A million thanks to all of you! Haha you have no idea how much time I spent re-reading all your amazing reviews, they're so encouraging^^ Thank you for taking the time to write them :) (also, thanks to those who wished me luck for my driving test...hahaha wish me luck again because I'm taking it this week once more- failed the last one XD)**_**  
**_


	13. Holiday Breaks

Silence reigned on the inside of room 615 at the Gotei hotel. Its two unlikely occupants weren't speaking a word, and only their light breathing interrupted the quietness.

Ichigo and Rukia sat together on the carpet, their backs leaned against the side of the queen-sized bed. Both still wore their outfits for the Christmas party, but Ichigo had now loosened the grey tie around his neck and Rukia had long-since abandoned her shoes. The orange-haired male sat with one knee propped up, an arm resting lazily on it; Rukia sat with both knees to her chest and her arms wrapped around them, the length of her dress just enough to protect her modesty from her companion, and no one else around to see her compromised. Her head was leaned softly against Ichigo's shoulder, her eyes half-lidded as they stared ahead at nothing in particular.

If either of them had been thinking about it, they might have laughed at the irony of how similar their positions were at that moment to the very first time they were together, in a supply closet what seemed like light years in the past; their backs had been against a wall and their clothing had been a far cry from their present semi-formal get-up, but the way they sat beside each other was nearly identical to how they sat back then. With the exception of Rukia lying her head comfortably against Ichigo and the fact that this time, neither said anything for a long time.

After Ichigo had confided the story of his dark past to Rukia, he had stood in her embrace he didn't know for how long, and eventually they had broken apart and ended up as they were. Throughout the whole time they had shared a comfortable silence; she never pushed him to speak before he was ready and he appreciated her patiently waiting for him. He was also silently glad that she never left his side; but when he tried to thank her, before he could even get the words out, she just looked at him and smiled comprehensively. He had smiled back and they returned to their shared silence.

Neither could really tell how much time had passed when Ichigo finally spoke up.

"Are you hungry?"

Rukia slowly lifted her head from his arm and looked up at his unexpected question. After a moment of studying his face, she was sure that if he had broken the silence it was because he was finished with his inner grieving for the time being. Satisfied with the fact, she gave a halfhearted shrug in response. "It doesn't really matter. It's too late to go back to the ballroom and get food, and all the restaurants must be closed by now."

Ichigo seemed to consider this before saying, "I saw a couple of snack machines on the way here."

That being said, Ichigo stood and absentmindedly offered Rukia his hand to help her up, missing the brief look of surprise on her face before she accepted it and climbed to her feet as well, letting her dress fall into place over her legs. Rukia thought she caught Ichigo's gaze lingering on the white of her legs for a moment, but she dismissed the thought quickly.

Their trip to the snack machines and back to the hotel room was quick, and they each returned carrying a wide array of candy and chips, as well as a couple of sodas. Ignoring the lonesome table on the corner of the room, the pair simply retook their spots on the carpet and set about to eating the assortment of junk food without remorse.

Aside from the odd pause for bickering over certain items;

"Oi! Don't eat all the chips!"

"You're taking all the chocolate-" Rukia pushed at him with her foot. "-the chips are mine!"

"You're loaded with crackers!" he tried reaching for the bag that she held away as she kept her foot in his way. "That much salt is unhealthy!"

"I didn't know you were so concerned about my health." she cut in slyly.

"I'm not!" Ichigo quickly complained.

"Then you don't care if I eat the chips." The argument was diplomatically concluded.

Several more bouts like that one ensued, but otherwise neither bothered speaking much. There options for conversation were either really gloomy or things they didn't quite feel ready to talk about in that moment. So they stuck to their familiar comfort areas, and neither complained over the fact.

When their food was finished, Rukia was rubbing at her eyes and Ichigo was barely suppressing a yawn. The raven-haired woman stole a glance at the alarm clock on the bedside table and saw that it was over an hour past midnight.

"I think we should be calling it a night." Rukia noted, pushing herself to her feet.

Ichigo took one look at the glowing red numbers of the clock and nodded his agreement. He helped Rukia gather all the empty wrappers and bags from the floor and throw them away, then they both stood awkwardly facing each other at the door of the bathroom.

They stood there for a couple of seconds before Ichigo coughed slightly and motioned for Rukia to go inside. "You go, I'll wait out…there." he finished lamely, pointing towards the other side of the room, thinking it would have seemed creepy if he said he'd wait outside the door. The raven-haired woman merely nodded and quickly disappeared behind the door.

Rukia was fairly fast to wash her face of all make up and change into her warm sleepwear, but even so when she emerged from the bathroom she was met with the sight of Ichigo sprawled on the bare carpet, seemingly unconscious. Her features softened as she took in his lanky, sleeping form. His jaw hung partially open and he had begun to snore softly, exhaustion along with an emotional night having rapidly taken over him.

She debated waking him up so he could change into a more comfortable attire, but as she watched his expression, almost childlike in sleep, she opted to get a blanket instead -the bed had several thick layers, so she just picked one of them- and gently threw it over him. Rukia hesitated, wanting to place a pillow for him but figuring that she'd wake him up in the process, so she just left him as he was, and proceeded to go on to bed.

She lay there with her eyes open for some time, listening to the sound of Ichigo's soft snores and letting her mind whirl with thoughts of his past and what might become of his future if he went on the path to try and expose Aizen. She allowed herself to cast a worried glance over at him in the darkness, and felt her eyebrows furrow.

Rukia knew that Ichigo wouldn't let go of his goal no matter what anyone said or did, especially with how much it ultimately meant to him. The most she could hope to do was try and make sure he didn't get himself killed on the way. Eyes still settled on his peaceful form, she sighed quietly.

_Just when did I start to feel like this…? _she wondered idly, half-conscious, before finally drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

-x-

Pale morning light barely filtered through the crack in between the heavy curtains that covered the glass windows of the hotel room. The two occupants inside seemed blissfully unaware of anything around them, as they each slept on unperturbed.

But nothing could last forever.

Rukia felt consciousness returning to her most unwelcome, and her first reaction was to firmly keep her eyes shut and attempt to return to sleep. Unfortunately, even as much as she wanted to keep on sleeping, she was the type of person that could never go back to sleep once she was awake. Resigning herself, she began to stretch out in the bed, kicking the sheets off herself in the process and yawning widely.

Unwilling to sit up just yet, Rukia started a process she often employed as she roused herself up at home; she turned over to her side, then again so she was on her belly, then once more. Literally rolling out of bed was a habit of hers that no years of Kuchiki training had been able to break, and she personally thought it was the best way to give her the kick she needed to be alert in those first few minutes of the early hours. However, one fact that Rukia did not take into account, is that she was not, in fact, in her home. And a more important fact- that she was not alone.

Not having considered any of this in her groggy haze, Rukia went on to roll until her body was tumbling out of bed, already bracing herself to land in a crouching position that would absorb the impact harmlessly…Except, instead of touching on the carpet, her feet first came upon a different object, and immediately became tangled. The raven-headed woman inevitably lost all her balance as she tripped upon the unidentified object, and was sent toppling gracelessly forward.

"_Shit!"_

Ichigo's eyes flew open and the curse left his mouth as he felt the wind knocked out of him, instantaneously jolting him out of sleep. His hands came up in an almost automatic -albeit belated- response to grab a hold of the object responsible for leaving him breathless, only to be surprised when his hands settled on a soft, slender frame, that was _breathing._

The orange-haired man waited for his vision to clear before focusing on the startled face that was looking right back at him from above. Unblemished ivory skin, midnight-colored hair, and wide violet eyes; it could only be one person. Ichigo blinked and focused more closely. Her usually smooth hair, turned up only at the ends as they reached her shoulders, was not completely untamed and sticking out in every direction around her face; her normally large eyes had widened to the size of diner plates; and her white skin was now tinged with pink spots on her cheeks. Her disheveled state, coupled with her slightly parted lips -almost as if they were caught mid-gasp-, as well as her startled look, made her look completely unguarded and vulnerable for the first time since he had met her.

Ichigo couldn't stop the way his lips curved upwards in a sideways grin, his brown eyes looking up at her, and his hands on her waist. Her slim body was completely pressed against his. "Hey." Came his husky, morning-straggled voice.

Some part of him realized that it wasn't the smartest thing to say, but what could anyone really say when you were woken up by a woman virtually falling on top of you?

Rukia, seemingly snapping out of her stunned state, scrambled to push herself up on her hands and knees, separating their bodies but still close enough that he could feel the warmth of her radiating above him. "I-" her voice cracked, either from that morning strain or from embarrassment- he couldn't tell. Then her eyes settled on the curve of his mouth, and almost immediately narrowed. "What are you smiling at?"

The effect of what was probably supposed to be her accusing tone was lessened by the huskiness in her voice.

Ichigo did his best to straighten his lips, but he could still feel the smile in his eyes. Not bothering to clear the huskiness out of his voice, he spoke. "Nothing; I was just amused by your new look."

Slowed down by drowsiness, Rukia looked confused at his words, and didn't have time to react when, in answer to her unspoken question, Ichigo reached a hand up into her hair and shamelessly tousled the already messy locks.

Rukia made a noise of surprise and pulled back immediately, moving to slap his hand away. "_Ichigo!"_ she squeaked.

Ichigo laughed; an unusual, unconstrained sound. Rukia seemed to pause at this. For a brief moment, time seemed to stand still as their eyes met, Rukia's small hands wrapped around Ichigo's arm in an attempt to keep it away from her hair, while his other hand had lowered onto her hip.

But the moment was gone as quick as it had come, as Rukia's eyes were lit up by a mischievous glint and she suddenly reached down to visciously ruffle Ichigo's orange spikes, giving him no time to react. The raven-head laughed vindictively while he struggled halfheartedly against her.

As the two playfully attacked each other, a light atmosphere seemed to settle into the room and Ichigo felt like his heart had lifted. A sort of carefree attitude that he'd never been too familiar with took over him, and everything else faded into the darker careens of his mind for the moment.

After their laughter started to die down, Rukia started to pull away and climb off him. Ichigo watched her as he did, not interfering, his eyes softening slightly as he saw her wipe her teal pajamas clean of imaginary dust; a belatedly self-conscious gesture that he didn't fail to recognize.

He pulled his gaze away then, pushing himself up to a sitting position and reaching a hand up to run through his orange hair absentmindedly. "That was an interesting way to wake up." He commented with a half chuckle, peeking through his peripheral vision at Rukia almost timidly. _I'm not sure I mind it, _he added mentally.

Rukia turned to him and offered a sheepish smile. "It was an accident." She told him, though the light gleam still present in her eyes made him think that, maybe, she hadn't minded either.

Ichigo leaned back and rested on his hands, when he noticed the white sheet that lay on the carpet by his legs, unnoticed before then by him. He looked at it quizzically and then down at himself, registering the fact that he was still wearing last night's attire. He quickly gathered that he must have passed out on the floor while Rukia was in the bathroom, though he could find no recollection of having taken a sheet to cover himself with. He reached down at gingerly picked up the blanket, fingering the smooth material while inconspicuously glancing over at the petite raven-head currently occupied with riffling through her suitcase.

"So," Rukia had started saying, without looking at him. "Do you want to get breakfast at the hotel's buffet or do brunch later?"

Ichigo, the sheet still held between his fingers, answered from the floor. "Brunch sounds better. The line for the buffet will probably be brutal."

"Yeah, I figured." Rukia straightened up with a small smirk, holding some clothing items and a bag of toiletries in her arms. "That gives me time to freshen up and pack everything with plenty of time left over to enjoy that bed."

Ichigo scowled at that, purposefully rubbing at a sore spot on his neck. "Sure, rub it in to the guy who slept on the floor."

Her smirk widened. "You know I won the bed fair and square. Besides, shouldn't you be the gentleman who lets the lady have the bed anyway?"

Ichigo felt himself smirk back in response. "I would, if there were a lady to speak of."

The cushion smacked him square on the face. He tossed it back but only hit the wall beside Rukia's head, and she just glanced at him haughtily before stepping towards the bathroom. She paused a moment to look at him over her shoulder, and say, "You can always try the bed for a few minutes while I use the bathroom."

Ichigo opened his mouth to reply that he _would_, thank you very much, but stopped as he thought of something. "Hey, wait, I didn't get to even shower last night. I deserve to use the bathroom first."

Rukia appeared to consider this. "I suppose you're probably right. I should…"

"Of course I'm- _Oi_!" Even as he jumped to his feet and dashed to the bathroom in a few, long strides, he wasn't fast enough to stop the raven-head before she had slammed the door behind her and disappeared inside. "_Rukia!"_ he growled, banging one fist against the door for good measure. The only response he received from the other side was the sound of the shower beginning to run. He clicked his tongue in annoyance and muttered a few less-than-flattering words, before resignedly heading back to the bed and flopping down on it.

-x-

Rukia hummed a cheery tune as she stepped out of the bathroom, her seeming innocence soiled only by the sly look in her eye as she turned towards the queen-sized bed. "Alright, the bathroom is free for your use now."

Ichigo lifted himself on his elbows and looked at her with a quirked eyebrow. "Gee, thanks."

The orange-haired man grabbed only a couple of clothing items on his way before going inside the bathroom. However, he stopped just as he stepped through the threshold and looked at his temporary roommate. "Hey, Rukia," he called out to her. She turned to look at him expectantly. Ichigo looked down at his feet as he spoke. "What are you doing tomorrow?"

Rukia raised a delicate black eyebrow. "Tomorrow's Christmas." She said, as if she was informing him of something he didn't know. When Ichigo still looked at her waiting for a response, she shrugged. "The same thing I do every year." When Ichigo still watched her, she added, "Spending it with a friend."

"Oh." he nodded, the action seeming to be more to himself than for her. "Right."

Rukia looked at him suspiciously. "Why do you ask?"

"Uh, no reason." he said hurriedly, before reaching up to scratch behind his ear. "My family has plans to come over, and I figured since I was already cooking, I might as well set an extra plate. I mean, it's not like it'd make much difference anyhow. And I'm sure my younger sisters would love to have someone other than me and my dad around for a change. You know, how girls are…Err," he continued to scratch awkwardly, looking anywhere but at her. "But you already have plans. That's fine too. It's no big-"

"Thank you."

Ichigo stopped his ranting long enough to look at Rukia, who was now looking down at the carpet beneath her feet with a soft expression that she usually reserved for particularly cute rabbit-themed items. The man visibly relaxed after hearing her words.

Rukia turned away to hide her face, and spoke quietly but still loud enough to be heard. "I'm sorry I can't go. But thank you for inviting me, Ichigo." she said meaningfully. She didn't turn back to see him, but she heard him make a noncommittal grunt, followed by the sound of a closing door.

Once she was sure he was gone, Rukia let her knees give way and let herself fall unto the bed, breathing deeply. A plethora of memories flashed through her mind, of countless years, but each so similar to the last, they were nearly indiscernible: a small raven-haired girl sitting by a richly decorated Christmas tree, shivering due to the cold but having no one to notice and give her something to warm herself with; in her hands, a crudely, self-wrapped shoebox, containing her most precious stuffed rabbit in it, with the words 'For Byakuya' written in red crayon on the paper.

Rukia blinked herself away from the cold memories, and her eyes strayed to the bathroom door behind which she knew Ichigo to be. He had just asked her to spend Christmas with him and his family…

She closed her eyes and attempted to push down the uprising of too many feelings. _He had no idea how much his offer had touched her._

Her hands tightened at her sides before she loosened them again. A part of her had ached to accept his deceptively warm offer, but a larger part of her had stopped her. She didn't know yet what exactly her relationship with Ichigo was turning into; she wasn't quite sure that she was ready for something like that just yet…

After Ichigo exited the bathroom and the two set to work on packing all their things, then later when they left together for brunch before checking out of the hotel; both continued on with each other as they normally would. Aside from the occasional lingering glances, or the accidental touches that they hesitated to end, neither addressed any of the situations that pressed against the backs of their minds.

About the situation with Aizen and Ichigo's revelation; about the changing feelings between them. All aspects were left untouched, many words left unsaid. An unspoken agreement between the two of them to enjoy the holidays before accepting other impending concerns.

For the moment, they just needed a break, and each respected that, as well as welcomed it.

-x-

_Christmas Day_

_7:06 AM_

Ichigo cracked his eyes open as the sound of someone seemingly trying to knock his front door down reached his ears. He turned in his bed, feeling his every nerve scream in protest as he looked at the time and threw himself back with a groan.

The obnoxious knocking continued, and now he could hear a voice accompanying the knocks as well. He took his pillow and pressed it over his face, half hoping it would drown out the sound, half hoping it might suffocate him.

_Once,_ just _once_ he wished that he didn't have to deal with this…

"IIIII-CHIII-G- HMPH!"

The tall man standing outside Ichigo Kurosaki's door hunched over, clutching his stomach in pain after having received a well-placed kick in the gut by a very irritated-looking orange-haired male.

"Jesus Christ, Dad!" Ichigo glared down at the man without an ounce of pity. "The neighbors will file a complaint before noon!"

"We tried to tell him." A female voice cut in, sounding pretty bored with the situation. "But you know how he is." Her voice was followed almost immediately by another, more innocent-sounding one.

"He gets so excited when we come to see you…"

Ichigo looked over his father's crouched form and smiled as he saw the two girls, now standing at his shoulder-height and not looking anything like children anymore. "Karin, Yuzu." He greeted each of his sisters. "Good to see you again."

Karin, the darker-haired one, offered a lazy smirk. "Not bad seeing you too, Ichi."

-x-

"I _told _you-" growled the red-headed, heavily tattooed man from across the counter at the kitchen area. "A ninja could never beat a pirate!"

Rukia, bent over by the sink as she peeled a potato, answered in a knowing voice. "Pirates are dirty, drunken, gold-diggers. They don't have the _finesse_ that is required for being a proper assassin. A ninja would have them dead before they could blink."

Renji, still wearing his thick black jacket -as Rukia refused to turn the heat up despite the freaking _blizzard_ outside- scowled at his friend's back. "Pirates are _not_ dirty drunks." He said, clearly offended. "They were _survivors_. Show me any ninja who could last a week in a ship at sea. Pirates are better sailors, better fighters, and better people!"

The argument may have been more adequate at a high school boy's locker room, but after many years of friendship, it wasn't rare for Rukia to get herself roped into these kinds of quarrels. Of course she didn't care deeply about either pirates or ninjas, but she could never pass up an opportunity to make her redheaded friend tick.

And if she was being honest, after years of making it her tradition to spend every Christmas with Renji like this, she couldn't say that it was something she abhorred… She actually rather enjoyed it, but she'd never say _that _out loud.

"Ninjas are specifically trained in the art of killing." She said calmly, turning away from her work and cleaning her hands on the festive apron she wore. "They have stealth, speed, skill and agility that is unsurpassed to this day. There is no way that a pirate would ever, _could_ ever, defeat a ninja!"

"Argh!" Renji threw his hands up in frustration, fuming as he glared.

Ah, Christmas.

-x-

"So, my dear delinquent son," Isshin Kurosaki, the elder Kurosaki began to say as he fingered his stubble-covered chin thoughtfully. "Why don't you tell your family the reason that you have yet to find yourself a wife."

Ichigo's fingers twitched on the black horse that he held over the chess board. He could hear Karin snicker from where she sat on his couch watching television. Setting the horse down in a rather aggressive gesture that made the remaining pieces on the board rattle, he looked up at his father with a scowl. "None of your business, Old man."

Isshin gave him a sly look, absentmindedly moving a rook a couple of paces. "Oh? Are you enjoying the bachelor life that much? I never would have pegged you for a gigolo, Ichi- _mmph!" _The older man never got to finish his statement as the remote control that Ichigo had snatched away from his sister flew into his face.

"Shut up." Ichigo commanded. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe I just like being single?"

Isshin's face -reddened by the impact of the remote- fell instantly. "Oh no…I know what this is. Forgive me, Masaki!" The brown-haired man bellowed up to the heavens -or ceiling, in this case. "Our son is ga-"

"_Shut up, goat face!"_

In the time it took to blink, Ichigo had launched himself over the chess board and at his father, the two becoming a tangled heap of limbs as they wrestled on the ground.

Yuzu, emerging from the front door with bags of gifts in each arm, gasped as she saw the scene.

"They're at it again." Karin said indifferently, fixing her ponytail a little higher on her head.

The light-haired girl shook her head, internally wondering why her family could never act like all the other normal people she saw on TV. "Dad, leave Ichigo alone." She said in her sweet, but commanding voice.

Isshin, currently trapped in a headlock from his eldest, gaped at his daughter. "Me? Why would you accuse your poor father of causing anything? Ichigo started it!"

Yuzu set down the bags by the small Christmas tree in the corner and set her hands on her hips sternly. "But you usually do something to upset Brother before he attacks you."

"I didn't-" Isshin started to mutter before Ichigo shoved his head into the floor.

"_Yes you did!"_

Isshin's mumblings were muffled as the two females in the room shook their heads.

"Every year." Karin commented.

Yuzu nodded, before looking at her sister and smiling earnestly. "At least it never gets boring."

"Mmm." Karin mumbled, though the corner of her mouth twitched a bit.

-x-

Renji flinched and nearly fell off his chair as Rukia flicked a piece of leftover chicken in his face. The raven-haired woman laughed at his expression before gathering their emptied plates from the table and heading back to the kitchen.

Despite her resolve not to turn the heater 'high enough' by some people's standards, and their constant verbal -and sometimes non-verbal- arguing, the atmosphere always seemed warm when she and Renji celebrated Christmas. Rukia pondered this vaguely as she dumped the dishes in the sink then walked back to the dinner table. Before she could reach it though, she found the tall redhead blocking her path. He wore a Cheshire grin that never meant good news.

Rukia immediately narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "What are you-?" She cut herself off as she noticed his wiggling eyebrows -_well, the tattoos where his eyebrows _should_ be_, she amended-, and she let her gaze go up, where his arm hung in the air above them. "Where on Earth did you get a mistletoe?" she asked, knowing full-well that she had none in her apartment.

"A smart man always carries ammunition." He said, the catlike grin still firmly in place.

"Well you can forget about it." Rukia said flatly, folding her arms over her chest.

Renji pouted -or did his own version of a pout, which looked horribly wrong on his far-from-childlike face. "Oh come on. Don't be such a sourpuss. One smooch won't kill ya'." He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

Rukia rolled her eyes in apparent exasperation. "You won't let this go, will you?"

Renji merely smirked. Finally, she sighed. "Fine. Just _one_."

With that, he lowered himself onto her height -which took quite some lowering-, and puckered up. He closed his eyes, and just as he did, Rukia shoved her hand, palm-open, into his unsuspecting face and shoved it aside -_hard. _Before he could protest to loudly, she had pushed herself unto her toes and quickly given him a peck on the cheek.

Then she walked away, leaving him dumbfounded, to the living area. After a moment, Renji looked back and hurried after her, a light blush rapidly fading away.

"See? That wasn't so bad." he said, catching up to her and flopping down unto the couch.

Rukia answered by pulling on her lower eyelid and sticking her tongue out at him from the other side of the couch.

"Now maybe if you weren't such a prude all the time, you might just get yourself laid once in a while."

"You _ass!_" Rukia punched his arm, before giving in to a good-natured chuckle and easing herself back.

"So, Rukia," Renji started, after their soft laughter subsided. "How'd it go with Byakuya at that Christmas party?"

Rukia blinked, fixing her eyes on him. "How did…You _knew_ he was going to be there?" she asked accusingly.

Renji shrugged and smirked. "I'm not the boss's number one suck up for nothing."

"And you didn't warn me?" she gaped disbelievingly. "What kind of a friend are you?"

"The kind that thinks it might be fun to have you squirm a little every now and then."

Rukia gave him a good glare. "You're lucky everything turned out okay, or else you'd be dead now."

"Hmm?" Renji's interest was peaked. "So what happened?"

Rukia went on to explain the whole of her encounter with Byakuya, right up to the part when her whole internship had been discovered, to his surprising reaction. She only, conveniently, left out the part where her brother had interrupted her rather intimate moment with Ichigo.

_Ichigo…_

Remembering that night inevitably caused Rukia's thoughts to drift to the orange-haired man. She could only wonder what he was doing then.

-x-

Ichigo's eye twitched for what felt like the hundredth time since that morning. "_Dad…"_ his tone was low and dangerous.

However, far from intimidated, Isshin grinned cheekily. "What? Don't look at me like that. All alone in this big ol' house of yours, I imagine you need entertainment. You should feel honored that I decided to bestow upon you the gift of movies from my own, personal and prized collecti-"

The rest of the statement was cut off as the pack of inappropriate DVD movies flew straight into his face.

Ichigo could feel a vein throbbing almost visibly on his forehead. He knew not to expect any better from his Dad, even so, each Christmas -and birthday, and any other excuse for present-giving he could find- the man always found new and creative ways to embarrass his eldest son. If he was being honest with himself, this year Ichigo had to admit had been one of the less awful ones. He'd try to remember that the next time he felt the urge to pound his old man senseless…Which would probably be within the next few minutes.

Ignoring his father's whines of protest about his 'ungrateful spawn', he stood up and gathered the far-more-sensible gifts given to him by his sisters (a gift card from Karin, which according to what she wrote on the card said 'I care enough not to give you generic money, but not enough to think of a real gift'; and an old-fashioned hand-knitted sweater from Yuzu, which he put on despite it being a far cry from anything he'd ever normally wear, and was rewarded by her huge smile and shining doe eyes). Neatly placing the gifts back under the Christmas tree to get again later, Ichigo started away from the living room.

"Ichigo?" Yuzu called after him. "Are you going somewhere?"

"Just going out back for a sec. I could use a little fresh air." Ichigo answered, glaring meaningfully at his father, who gleefully made it a point not to acknowledge his presence at the moment.

Slipping through the sliding glass door, Ichigo stepped out into the cold air and recoiled at first, but got acclimated quickly and, sliding the door closed behind him, went out into his very small, unlit backyard. Despite his protests and shows of annoyance, the day had seemingly flown by; it was already dark outside. After looking over his shoulder in an overly-paranoid gesture, Ichigo slipped his cell phone out of his back pocket.

He flipped the device open and its bluish light illuminated the night faintly. He stared at the screen for a few moments that felt like minutes, his thumb hesitating over the buttons. He contemplated just putting the phone back in his pants pocket, but grit his teeth and dismissed that plan. He steeled himself and opened up the phonebook in the menu, rapidly scrolling down the list of names until he landed on one in particular.

Ichigo edged his thumb towards the green 'call' button, but pulled it back at the last minute. Taking a shaky breath that came out like smoke in the winter air, he looked back at the screen and finally decided on a simpler course of action.

He pressed the '_send message' _option, and began to type as soon as the blank screen came on, not giving himself a chance to back out.

-x-

Rukia felt her phone buzz in her pocket just as the Grinch's heart began to grow on the screen of her small TV. Taking her eyes off the movie, she extracted her phone from her front pocket and flipped it open, pausing only for a moment in surprise to see who the message was from before pressing the button to view it.

_Message from: Ichigo_

_Received at: 6:22 PM_

_Hey, Santa called. He said he's missing an elf, I thought of you._

Rukia swallowed an indignant gasp. She narrowed her eyes at the screen of her phone, though she could feel the corner of her mouth twitching upwards. Before she moved to punch in a reply, she averted her gaze sideways.

Renji was completely immersed in watching the Grinch saving Christmas, he barely seemed aware that she was even there. She took the moment to slide off the couch and head to the kitchen, where she hoped onto the counter before writing back her reply.

_Very funny Pumpkin man. We'll talk in Halloween._

She barely had to wait for his response to light up the screen.

_Hey, I could die my hair. There's nothing you can do about your 'little' problem._

The raven-haired woman huffed, despite the fact that no one would hear her, though she was still fighting back a grin.

_Shut up. Maybe you can work with your hair, but I doubt you can afford the plastic surgeon that you need for that face._

Rukia waited a couple of minutes, keeping her cell phone neatly balanced on her lap, before it buzzed again with his reply.

_Funny, I was under the impression that you liked my face._

She paused, momentarily taken aback by his uncharacteristic boldness. Then she shook her head, attributing his sudden courage to the advantages of texting.

_Sorry to disappoint you then._

His response was quick, almost as quick as she knew it would have been if he had physically been there.

_Who said I was disappointed?_

Rukia smirked as she replied.

_So you're not?_

He answered quickly.

_Why should I be?_

She was just as fast.

_Don't answer my question with a question!_

Ichigo's response seemed nonchalant, she could almost picture him scoffing and lifting his chin in the air in a show of male pride.

_Whatever. So how's Christmas going?_

Rukia smiled a little before writing back an answer, giving him a vague recount of her day. After that she asked how things were on his end, and read on in amusement as he described in apparent annoyance what his supposedly crazy family had been doing to him. She laughed out loud a couple of times, particularly when he described in what she assumed to be an exaggerated manner his father's conduct.

_Your family sounds fun._

She wrote to him, after a while of reading his anecdotes. Her head was filled with images of dinner tables filled with a large, warm family as she had seen in many movies. She tried to imagine Ichigo in this picture, and tried to come up with what she thought his dad and sisters would look like. She could picture him pretty clearly, seemingly sulking in his chair on the dinner table, while his excited relatives hovered over him restlessly.

_Easy for you to say, you haven't met them._

Came Ichigo's reply. Rukia couldn't help but roll her eyes. Despite his bravado, it was evident even in the bits and pieces that he recounted that Ichigo cared for his family. She was just about to tell him as much and maybe tease him a bit for it, when she gave a startled start at the sound of Renji's voice.

"There you are." he said, appearing around the counter and moving to face her. "Sneaking out in the middle of _How The Grinch Stole Christmas_? What kind of a friend are you?" He looked at her accusingly, then his eyes zeroed in on the cell phone in her hands.

Rukia tried her best not to look like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar, but she was relieved to see Renji only raised an eyebrow and looked back at her.

"Well," he said casually. "I'll be on the couch watching _Jack Frost_ if you decide to get back into the Christmas spirit." With that, he turned on his heel and left, not asking any questions.

Rukia released a relieved breath, grateful for Renji's lack of inquiring. When he was out of sight, she typed to Ichigo:

_I have to go now. Talk to you later._

His message came quickly.

_Okay… Merry Christmas, Rukia._

She felt the smile on her lips as she wrote back.

_Merry Christmas : ) _

After clearing the screen, Rukia started to shut her phone when she remembered something. She hopped off the counter and peeked over to the living area, seeing Renji sprawled on the couch as he watched TV. Once she was sure he was too engrossed in _Jack Frost_ to pay attention to her, she walked over to the furthest corner of the kitchen and leaned against the wall as she dialed a familiar number, hesitating only for a moment before calling.

He picked up on the second ring.

"_Rukia." _his emotionless voice greeted her.

"Hello," she spoke in a low voice, careful not to be overheard. "Brother." He didn't say anything, and after swallowing thickly, she went on. "Merry Christmas."

She heard him grunt slightly in response. _"Yes, to you as well."_

She knew she wasn't going to get any more than that, so she didn't press the matter. The purpose of her call was a different one. She hesitated, not wanting to be out of place with her brother, but quickly tossing aside her anxiety, determined to go through with what she wanted.

"Byakuya," she said seriously, and almost heard him pause on the other end. "I need to ask a favor." she said, keeping her voice even and strong, despite her lowered volume.

A heartbeat later, Byakuya spoke, a wary edge in his otherwise stoic tone. "_What is it?"_

Rukia took a deep breath and lowered her voice even further, until it was just above a whisper. "It's about a man named Sosuke Aizen…"

-x-

Ichigo stood staring at the screen of his cell phone for a long time, feeling his lips quirk upwards in amusement at the sight of the 'smiley face' typed by Rukia.

"_God!"_

A hiss broke through his calm reverie and he turned to look at the owner of the voice. His dark-haired sister was stomping outside, wearing a scowl that could have rivaled his as she glared at nothing in particular and rubbed her arms.

"It's freezing out here!" she complained as she trudged up to him. "What are you _doing_?" she demanded, her breath visible with every word.

Ichigo shoved his phone back into his pocket so fast that Karin raised a quizzical eyebrow at him. Before she could formulate any questions, Ichigo shrugged. "Nothing, just getting fresh air." Even as he spoke, he rubbed his hands together, only then taking notice that his fingers felt like frozen popsicles.

"In _this_ temperature?" Karin replied skeptically.

"I wanted a break from old Goat face." he tried instead, and was relieved to see that she seemed satisfied with this answer as she nodded understandingly.

"Well you've been gone for nearly an hour. You better get back inside, Yuzu and I can't handle Dad by ourselves forever." Karin said. "Besides, he's starting to talk about how you need a break because of 'male needs' and-"

"That's enough," Ichigo cut her off before she could finish the statement. "I'm coming back inside now." He hurried back into the house in the time it took Karin to blink.

To his dismay, he was met immediately by his father…flying straight into him.

"Argh! What the-" he started to yell as he wrestled his father on the floor, barely catching the sight of Karin nonchalantly stepping over them and walking over to Yuzu on the living room.

Isshin interrupted him with his booming laughter. "My son! Back from taking care of business already?"

"Shut up you crazy old man!" Ichigo forcefully shoved his father's face away from him and proceeded to kick his body off himself. "Why would anyone even think that?"

Jumping to his feet with a stamina that should have been impossible for a man his age, Isshin grinned. "Ah, but there aren't many reasons for a man to brave the cold night for an hour like that. And if my fatherly intuition is correct…"

Ichigo was rolling his eyes as he sat on the floor, not even bothering to stand up again.

"You're hiding a woman from me!" Isshin concluded triumphantly.

"_WHAT?"_

"Aha! Right again! Score another one for Daddy!" Isshin was cheering to himself. "So when do I get to meet this lovely lady? Is she a looker? On a scale from one to-Mmmph!"

"_SHUT UP!"_ Ichigo roared, red in the face, before launching himself unto the older man mercilessly. "I'm not hiding any woman, you pervert!"

"Oh, Masaki! How our children treat their poor father!"

* * *

**A/N: That was a very lighthearted chapter, kind of to counter the last heavy chapter. **

**Ichigo and Rukia were apart for like half the chapter, but I still liked writing it. Introducing Ichigo's family at last and showing more of Renji and Rukia's relationship was enjoyable^^ And before I get any complaints about it: no, I did not get moody and suddenly switched to RenRuki or plan to start a love triangle. Yes, there were RenRuki scenes here that could be interpreted romantically, but if you look closely you'll notice the total lack of tension between them. I've always thought that RenRuki has the building blocks necessary to become romantic, but their chance was killed by IchiRuki. I wanted to show that potential present in their interactions here. Renji is supposed to be Rukia's best friend but I hadn't shown a lot of their bond until now, personally, I liked it :P I also liked the texting between Ichigo and Rukia. I think it's cute:3  
**

**To: _love-mikan, Kuroi-cho-tsuki-shiro, Hunny sempai, inthenameofninny, Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky, AiyaZen, 1999, I am L, VioletCrush, MN, shnizlefritz, falconrukichi, AnimeFanx3, Crazy Otaku Fangirl, dArkAnge04, ali6220, IchiRuki2.0, Rukia Martinez, Poisonfish, TruantPony, Prizz, Aizawa Li Syaoran, Vessalius, novicestar, _and_ Sa Rart_**

**Thank you all for taking the time to review! Reading your reviews is definitely the highlight of my day :D**

**So, not a lot happened in this chapter, but fear not...Things will heat up again soon with both Ichigo and Rukia and the Aizen plot. Especially next chapter...*giggle-giggle-snort* I'll leave you with that! Haha! Until next chapter :)_  
_**


	14. Of Warnings and Invitations

Work was resumed normally after the Christmas break. But admittedly, it hardly felt that way as Ichigo made his way across the fourth floor of Seretei. Half of the cubicles were empty, the writers who usually worked there taking the week off between Christmas and New Years. And the ones that _were_ occupied included a good amount of people playing computer Solitaire. Go figure.

The orange-haired writer shook his head as he entered his office and flopped down on his chair with a foam cup full of hot coffee in his hand. He took the mouse of his computer and cleared the screensaver, readily popping up files to get to work as he sipped the dark liquid. He cringed as he felt the scalding drink on his tongue, and was just about to splutter the thing -never having been a big fan of coffee, he should have known better- but stopped when he heard the doorknob turning to let someone in.

He forcibly swallowed, grimacing as he did and hurriedly putting the foam cup down on his desk. He turned to look at the person who had entered, presuming it to be Rukia seeing as how she was the only one who made it a habit to forgo knocking, but felt himself go rigid when he regarded who it was.

"Aizen." He said stiffly, forgetting about his burnt tongue.

The tall man was wearing his hair in its usual messy fashion again, and the black-rimmed glasses were in place, giving his face a more youthful appearance. He smiled placidly at Ichigo. "Mr. Kurosaki, good to see you hard at work so early."

Ichigo gave a curt nod, not taking his eyes off the bespectacled man. "Is there a reason you wanted to see me, Sir?"

"Nothing serious, Kurosaki." Aizen chuckled lightly. "I just wanted to see how all of my workers are doing. I _am_ your boss now, remember?" The way he said that sounded like a lighthearted joke, but Ichigo could just catch the gleam in his brown eyes, hidden behind glasses. There was a hidden edge beneath his easy manner.

"How could I forget?" Ichigo replied, careful to keep his tone neutral, but aware that the slight edge in his own voice would be noticeable to anyone looking closely. "Mr. Aizen."

Ichigo caught a faint glimpse of amusement on Aizen's otherwise smooth face, but met his gaze evenly.

"Well I do hope you make sure to remember that." Aizen said, smiling casually. He was quiet then, and he turned his eyes away from Ichigo, as if examining the office. Ichigo wondered if he was going to say anything else, but knew better than to actually interrupt the silence.

At last, after what seemed like an eternity later, the brown-haired man spoke up. "I've noticed you seem quite a bit more friendly with your coworkers now than you were the last time I came here."

Ichigo had to work to keep his already tense demeanor from becoming too obvious. It was hard not to visibly react though, but he managed to keep the reaction down to narrowing his eyes in suspicion. When he didn't say anything, Aizen continued.

"Honestly, you had gained such reputation as the 'loner' type." He gave a humored chuckle. "Just be careful not to let it distract you from your work. Or, as a matter of fact, not to distract _them_." He chuckled again, lower this time. "We wouldn't want any of them having their jobs put on the line. That would be quite unfortunate, don't you think?"

Ichigo felt his heart begin to pound harshly against his chest. The implications this man was making…

Aizen let his eyes wander towards the door that stood ajar behind him, then back to Ichigo. "Particularly that poor Kuchiki girl. It would be a shame for her to jeopardize her job after having just gotten it."

Ichigo's insides went cold.

This man…Did he know? Had he found out that he had told Rukia…?

No. That was impossible. There was no way for him to know such a thing. He knew Rukia would never let something like that slip, and he himself had given no indication…

He thought back, rummaging through the memories of the past weekend.

_He doesn't need to know,_ Ichigo thought, dread setting into his stomach. Anyone paying attention could have noticed him and Rukia getting closer, particularly just looking at their interactions during the Christmas party. He had been stupid to think that Aizen would overlook something like that.

Aizen's brown orbs seemed to be appraising the turmoil visible in Ichigo's eyes. The smile was still ever-present on his face, but it was different now. There was a slight, predatory edge to it that hadn't been there before- or at least, hadn't been quite as noticeable.

It took a lot of self-control, but Ichigo managed to push back the torment of emotions gnawing at his insides and conjured up a decently neutral reply. "Of course, I wouldn't do anything to interfere with my friends' responsibilities. There's no need for you to worry about something like that."

"Oh, I'm sure you're right." said Aizen, his eyes squinting closed as he smiled more widely. "But as your boss, it's my duty to keep my eye out for any possibility. I hope you understand."

_Oh I understand._ Ichigo thought darkly. _Loud and clear._

"Right." Ichigo said only, turning away from the man before he went on. "Is that all you wanted to tell me?" He strained to keep the thickness out of his voice.

"Yes, that'll do for now." Aizen responded lightly. "Until later, Kurosaki."

Ichigo didn't turn to see him leave, but heard the door closing after his footsteps. As soon as he knew he was alone, he let his hands turn into fists and slammed one down on his desk, feeling his frustration and anger load up inside of him.

He should have been more careful. Chad should have been enough of a warning for him. He was an idiot not to know this would happen.

Aizen's warning had been clear. If he caught him meddling where he wasn't supposed to, it wasn't just _him_ on the line. Because of his stupid carelessness, now the people around him that had _nothing_ to do with this might suffer the consequences. Even…

"Ichigo?"

He nearly cried with relief and howled in frustration at the sound of the voice.

"Rukia, you shouldn't-" he started, but she was already closing the door behind her and closing the distance in a few steps toward him.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her brows knit with worry as she looked at him.

Ichigo figured she must have seen Aizen leaving his office and, of course now that she knew everything, she rushed in to check on him. He wanted to simply shrug away her concern and act as if nothing had happened, but he knew at once that would be impossible. He was sure the distressed state of his thoughts must have been showing clearly on his face, and this was Rukia he was talking about. She would be the first to notice even the slightest thing that was off; she had a way of doing that…

"I have work to do Rukia," he said, ignoring her question. "You ought to go back and do the same."

Predictably, she did no such thing. Instead, her frowned deepened and she appraised him carefully, waiting a moment before speaking. "Did he say something to you?" She asked, her voice dropping down to a secretive volume. She didn't need to clarify who 'he' was.

Ichigo averted his gaze, trying to escape her observant eyes. "_No,"_ he said, purposely letting his frustration sound like exasperation. "I just need to be left _alone_ so I can get some work done, alright?"

He wanted to flinch at the cold harshness in his voice, but managed to hold his expression steady.

Rukia blinked, obviously surprised by his hard tone. Then spoke, in a calm tone that made it impossible for him to tell whether she was put off by his treatment. "Okay. I'll be right outside then." _If you need me,_ Ichigo mentally added the unspoken part of her sentence.

He nodded stiffly, still not looking at her, and had to wait a long moment in silence before he heard her exit.

When she was gone, he sighed wearily, letting his shoulders slump forward before putting his fist against his forehead and groaning.

What was he supposed to do now?

-x-

Rukia drummed her fingers on the flat surface of her desk and rested her chin in her other hand. Her eyes stared blankly at the screen of the computer before her, which had been idle for nearly ten minutes now but had not yet gone into screensaver mode. The fact registered vaguely in her mind, but caused no reaction.

The truth was, Rukia could not concentrate. Her mind kept drifting off to thoughts of the previous weekend, of her time with Ichigo, of his story and his desire to expose Aizen as a criminal, of Ukitake's retirement and Aizen's new position as their boss, of the same man's visit less than an hour prior to Ichigo's office and his subsequent reaction to her… And against her wishes, her thoughts also returned her to the more intimate moments she had shared with her coworker and friend.

Her mind was restless with wonderings and the fact that nearly everyone who worked at Seretei was absent today. She didn't even have Kaien's periodical popping up to ask her for office supply. The lack of people should have worked to keep her from getting distracted, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. Her gaze now drifted along the half empty maze of cubicles, before lingering on the closed door to her right.

She wondered again about Aizen's visit to Ichigo's office. The man had to have said something to cause Ichigo's harsh reaction to her. It was like he'd been desperate to get her out of the office the minute she had stepped in. Rukia was used to his apparent annoyance whenever she let herself in, but she was well aware that most of it was for show. He'd never really seemed so _angry_ that she was there.

The thoughts kept chewing at her head until they were interrupted -blessedly- by a familiar, chiming voice.

"Rukia!" Orihime appeared from behind a row of cubicles to her left, her dark orange hair immediately standing out against the neutral office colors.

Rukia smiled, grateful for the distraction. "Hey, Orihime." She noticed immediately that Orihime was wearing a festive-looking pink sweater, complete with a pair of antlers on her head. She was also carrying an old-fashioned-looking basket, filled with what looked like oddly-colored muffins. The dark-haired woman grinned at this, even chuckled lightly as she marveled at the ever-present childlike enthusiasm of her friend.

"I'm glad you're here," said Orihime as she arrived to stand by Rukia, who stood from her chair to meet her, also taking the opportunity to stretch out a little. "I brought all these homemade cupcakes for everyone and hardly anyone seems to be here." she explained sadly. "I keep forgetting that a lot of people take this week off."

"Don't you ever take some time off during the season?" Rukia inquiring, aware of Orihime's nearly flawless attendance to work.

The taller woman shook her head. "Uryuu is always busy at work, and all my friends are here. Why would I want to stay home all alone?"

The pure sincerity in her answer took Rukia aback for a moment, before she smiled, understanding more than she let on as she nodded.

"Anyway," Orihime continued. "I came to give you this." As she spoke, she took one of the cupcakes from the basket and offered it to her.

As Rukia took the cupcake decorated with mysteriously colored frosting, the word _homemade_ kept repeating itself in her head. She managed a polite smile as she gently placed the treat on the side of her desk. "Thank you, Orihime. I'll save it for later, wouldn't want to spoil my lunch." She grinned nervously; the other woman didn't seem to notice. "I'm sorry, I didn't get you anything." She then apologized sheepishly.

"Oh you don't need to get me anything, Rukia!" Orihime replied more enthusiastically than she had anticipated. "I'm just glad to have you as a friend!" With that, she leaped forward and pulled Rukia into an unexpected hug that nearly left her breathless for a second.

Rukia blinked, flushing in surprise, before awkwardly returning the embrace. "Ah, me too." She said, smiling warmly.

Orihime beamed as she pulled back. "I better go now, I have to finish giving these out." She motioned to her cupcake-filled basket. "Do you know if Ichigo is in his office now?"

At this, Rukia's smile fell away, though she tried to keep her expression light. "Yes, but…" She remembered his harsh words and his hurry to get her out. She bit her lip in hesitation before silently making up her mind. Orihime watched her curiously. "He's…I think he's not feeling too well. He seems to be in a bad mood- worse than usual, anyway." She attempted to joke lightly, but the attempt fell flat. "I was hoping…Well, maybe you could see what's wrong with him. He seems close to you, he might talk to you about it-"

Before Rukia could keep going with her line of thought, Orihime shook her head softly. "Ichigo is not very comfortable opening up to people. I've known him since high school, and I still have trouble getting him to tell me things sometimes. Even after all this time, there are still many things he hasn't shared with me."

Rukia couldn't help but notice the sadness in Orihime's voice as she said this, and the way her brown eyes fell almost longingly on the closed door to his office. "Orihime…" Rukia muttered, wanting to ask but feeling that it wasn't her place to do so.

Looking back to meet her eyes, Orihime smiled again. "I know what you're thinking." she said easily. "I did have feelings for him once…I was in love with him, or at least I thought I was. I was young, and I thought he was the love of my life."

"What happened?" Rukia couldn't stop herself from asking.

Orihime's gaze was distant, as if replaying old memories. "Well, the feeling wasn't mutual. Even though we were in the same group of friends, he hardly ever seemed to notice me. In fact, it wasn't until we went off to college and happened to have some classes together that we really became friends."

Rukia tried to imagine Ichigo in high school and college, and Orihime with him. Young and desperately trying to get someone's attention; Rukia knew what that was like. "Did you ever tell him?"

Orihime shook her head. "By the time I felt comfortable enough to tell him, I realized that my feelings had changed. Or maybe they were never there in the first place, I'm not sure now. But by that time, I saw him only as a big brother, nothing else. I did meet someone, he helped me understand my feelings a lot better."

Rukia felt herself smiling as she asked. "Uryuu?"

Orihime smiled but shook her head again. "His name was Ulquiorra. He passed away in an accident not long after I met him, but while I knew him, he helped me a lot. Uryuu and Ichigo were the ones who got me through after his death."

Rukia was silent, absorbing all the new information. She would have never thought cheerful and innocent Orihime would have gone through all that. And she was most surprised by the calm way in which she spoke about it all. She was still smiling softly and her doe eyes still looked as youthful as ever, but despite all that and even with her childish attire, she seemed to radiate an air of maturity that she had never noticed before. She felt her respect for the woman grow considerably. Before Rukia could voice any of her thoughts, however, Orihime spoke up again.

"But you see, what I was trying to say earlier is that Ichigo is the type of guy who builds up really thick walls around himself, and doesn't let them down easily." She explained. "When something is bothering, he won't tell anyone about it, no matter how many times you ask. That's just the way he's always been." She paused for a moment, looking towards his office then back at Rukia. "He might tell you, though."

"Eh?" Rukia couldn't hold back the surprised sound.

"He really seems to let his guard down around you." Orihime noted simply. "He's seemed a lot more carefree these past couple of months than I've ever seen him."

Rukia felt a warmth spread in her chest at the words. She tried not to linger on the feeling it gave her that she might affect Ichigo in such a way, and kept her expression casual as she managed to scoff. "If that's him being carefree, I'd hate to have known him when he was _more_ serious."

Orihime laughed, then said, "I'll go and give Ichigo a cupcake now. Who knows? It might just cheer him up! My cooking _is_ famous for its effects on people!"

_Ah,_ Rukia thought, smiling. _There she is again._

-x-

The next two days at Seretei passed with barely a sign of the orange-haired reporter.

If not for the rare glimpses that Rukia caught of him in the morning going into his office, she might have thought he hadn't come in at all. It was strange; before, she hadn't really thought of how much time she and Ichigo actually spent together. It had just been a given that she'd see him every day. Whether it was him helping her with writing a piece, or just to exchange some casual words (which often included a trade of light insults), he had become a constant in her days. The line between that constant feeling like a nuisance and starting to be something she looked forward to had blurred, but she couldn't deny that seeing Ichigo had become as natural as morning coffee to her.

Which was why it was painfully obvious when he all but vanished into his office for two days. Ever since Tuesday morning, when he had all but kicked Rukia out after his visit from Aizen, he had disappeared. If she didn't know any better, she would say that he was avoiding her.

The question was, _why? _

After the latest weeks, and especially during the last weekend, Rukia had felt she and Ichigo had grown closer. No, she didn't just think so; she _knew_ their relationship had gone beyond just friendly coworkers. She wasn't sure if the term 'friend' was even appropriate anymore.

_Then again,_ she thought._ If he isn't my friend, then what _is_ he to me?_

That, she decided as she sat patiently in her cubicle Thursday afternoon, was a question that would have to remained unanswered as of yet. However, the matter of why Ichigo had basically become a ghost was going to be resolved.

A part of her thought that maybe it was precisely _because_ they had gotten closer that he was shying away now, putting a distance between them before things could get out of hand. But for some reason, her heart rejected the notion as quickly as it had come. She knew, without needing to be told, that Ichigo wouldn't try to push her away; not now, after he had opened himself up to her so completely.

So her only other option was to assume that Aizen, when he talked to him, must have said something to cause this behavior. After all, it wasn't just _her_ that he was ignoring when he cooped himself up in the office like that. Whatever was happening with him, she was determined to find out.

The sound of a door creaking open pulled Rukia out of her thoughts.

_Now is my chance_, she thought quickly, careful not to make any sudden movements. Ichigo's form was visible almost instantly, as he stepped out and started to walk by her cubicle. As he had for the past couple of days, he didn't so much as glance in her direction; but it didn't take her by surprise now. She counted to five in her head, slowly, before getting up and starting in the direction of the elevators.

She had to walk fast, and as she neared them, the metal doors to one of the elevators were already sliding shut -the orange-haired man already inside starting to disappear from view.

With one quick sprint, Rukia managed to slide a hand in between the shutting doors and cause them to bounce back just in time. Careful not to let the triumphant smile make its way unto her lips, she slipped inside quietly, aware of how the man's eyes looked pointedly away from her.

She wordlessly settled herself with her back against the wall, seeing the doors slide successfully shut this time and locking her in the small space with Ichigo for a few seconds. She knew she had to use those seconds well; as soon as the doors opened again he would be gone in the blink of an eye.

She watched as the numbers 3 and 2 lit up along with the 'ding' sound as they descended without saying a word. When they started towards the ground floor, she opened her mouth without looking at the man beside her.

"You've been avoiding me." she stated as matter-of-factly as possible. Despite the space between them, she could still practically feel Ichigo tense up at the sound of her words.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He said, obviously trying to sound natural but the stiffness showing through clearly. And just as he spoke, the doors slid open on the parking level.

As she had predicted, he started walking away as soon as they did; but Rukia had already started the conversation. She was on his heels immediately. "Ichigo," she called to him. "Won't you at least tell me why?"

This caused him to stop, his back still turned towards her. She saw him hesitate, and he turned his face just slightly to glance over his shoulder. For a moment, it seemed like he would speak, but then he was off again, and Rukia was after him. He didn't stop his fast stride until he had reached his black Toyota and -after the quick press of a button- started opening the door to the driver's side. But before he was finished pulling it wide enough for him to slide in, Rukia was there, standing before him with only the sleek black door separating them. She was just barely tall enough to look at him over the window, and silently took a moment to thank the heavens for that fact.

Her eyes didn't waver from him. "I want to at least know _why_ you've decided to start acting like you don't even know me all over again."

Ichigo met her eyes then, and his hazel gaze was utterly conflicted. She could see the indecision in his eyes; torn between turning away again or telling her what she wanted to know.

Rukia let her own gaze soften. "_Please."_ She added with uncharacteristic softness and sincerity. For a moment, she removed all pretense of indifference or nonchalance and allowed her honest feelings to show through.

The verbal plea along with the way she spoke seemed to have the desired effect on him. He looked slightly taken aback; he hadn't been prepared for her to show herself being vulnerable. It left him proverbially naked in turn.

After a split second decision that she witnessed in his eyes, his face hardened into a well-set scowl and he growled. "_Get in."_

Rukia didn't need to be told twice. She made her way around to the passenger's side while Ichigo climbed into the driver's. He didn't say anything as he started the car and swiftly pulled out of the parking lot. It wasn't until they were on the road that he finally spoke up, not looking at her.

It wasn't what she expected to hear. "Do you have your seatbelt on?"

Her face turned into a question mark for a brief moment, before she hurriedly put her seatbelt on. At any normal moment, she would have laughed at his concern over something so seemingly trivial, but at the moment, she found a certain amount of comforting warmth in it; a reassurance, small as it was, that he did, in fact, care.

After hearing the click of the seatbelt, Ichigo breathed in deeply. Rukia saw his hands tighten on the steering wheel. "It's…it's Aizen."

That confirmed her suspicions, but it still didn't explain everything. "What did he tell you that day?" she asked, not bothering to beat around the bush. They both knew the time she was referring to.

She saw him glance at her out of the corner of his eye briefly, before turning his eyes back to the road and answering. "I don't know how," he seemed to be concentrating on keeping his voice even. "But, he knows…about you."

"About me?" Rukia asked uncertainly.

Ichigo paused for a moment, before correcting himself. "About _us_."

Rukia could only blink, unable to understand what he meant. "Ichigo, what-"

"When he came into my office," Ichigo said, and his hands were turning a ghostly white over the wheel. "He said some things…He didn't say it outright, but the meaning was obvious. He thinks that I've let my tongue lose, or will do it soon, and he basically made it clear what the consequences would be if he finds out that you've become involved in my attempt to bring him down."

Rukia's eyes widened. "But how could he…?"

"It's not just you." Ichigo was shaking his head now, his hands compulsively tightening and enlightening over the steering wheel. Everything that he had kept bottled up seemed to leave him in a torrent now. "Everyone, _everyone_ that he's noticed is close to me. It's not just my job, my neck on the line anymore. You, Orihime, Rangiku, Kaien… Whoever I've been involved with will be suspected. I had to cut ties, had to stay away from all of you so it would clear off all suspicion, so he wouldn't have an excuse to…" As they came to a stop at a red light, Ichigo turned to her and his eyes were wild, desperate. Scared…

He was scared for them. For her.

Understanding finally settled on her. "Ichigo," she said his name slowly, calmly. His expression didn't change. Swallowing, Rukia voiced another question troubling her. "How does Aizen know you're after him?"

Ichigo looked away now, just in time to see the light turn and start the car forward again. Rukia barely paid attention to where they were going, her eyes never leaving him. "You remember, back when you first started the internship…" He trailed off for a moment, and Rukia felt the memories of their early days reenter her mind. "You remember what Ukitake said, about my job being on the line? I was in a probation of sorts. They made you my responsibility to prove myself."

Rukia nodded grimly, remembering quite clearly. "You never told me why your job was at risk in the first place."

Ichigo was silent for a long moment, driving the car into a right turn and stopping. Rukia took a moment to see that he had pulled up into the empty parking lot of a closed business, then turned her full attention back to him. He had kept his hands on the steering wheel, despite the car having stopped, and his eyes were on them.

"I snuck into Ukitake's office." he started. "I went through all his files, checked through document in his computer; all in search for something that my get me on Aizen's trail. It was useless, of course. The search turned up nothing incriminating or even remotely suspicious. Just another dead end." Ichigo said, and Rukia could tell from the way he said it that it was something he was used to. He really must have been on this search for some time. "But this time, I was caught. Turns out, Ukitake kept some of his cough medicine in the office. He ran out of it that night in his house and had to go get what he had in the office, in the middle of the night… Just as I was getting ready to leave." He chuckled bitterly. "Some luck."

Rukia watch as he scowled, still not looking at her while he recounted the story. He went on with the rest in a matter-of-fact tone.

"After that, I had no choice but to tell him what I was doing. I would have tried to cover up, of course, but the evidence was all there around me still. I had no choice." Ichigo explained. "The most I could do was soften the story and say I had just gotten a gut instinct, nothing more. Fortunately, Ukitake didn't press the matter. But of course, he could have fired me. Most people would have done so on the spot. But he gave me a chance…" Ichigo broke off and ran a hand through his unruly orange locks. "That guy is too nice for his own good."

There was a bitterness in his tone, and Rukia could just imagine how he felt. After all, she herself was shocked to hear the news of his retirement so unexpectedly. And he had seen Mr. Ukitake's face… He looked so sad…

"At any rate," Ichigo went on. "I got off easy, but not unscathed. Of course, Aizen needed to be told about what happened. He's had his eyes on me ever since, but he wasn't in the power to do anything about it. I guess we were both chasing each other; a race to see who would catch the other first." His expression darkened. "It seems he's caught me though." He swore under his breath.

Rukia debated for a moment whether she should tell him about the favor she had run by her brother…But quickly decided against it. Ichigo was obviously tormented by the fact that his actions might cause her and his other friends' their jobs, -_maybe more,_ she thought as she recalled his friend in the hospital-. She wouldn't add to his worries at the moment.

They were both silent for a few long seconds that stretched out slowly. When the silence was broken, it was in the most unexpected way.

"_OW!" _Ichigo yelped, clutching his upper right arm. "What the _hell?_"

Rukia relaxed her fist at her side before folding her arms over her chest. "That was for keeping all this to yourself and avoiding your friends for two days. Don't ever do that again!"

Ichigo's expression changed into one of surprise, and Rukia huffed before looking away. She stared out her window as she spoke. "You made everyone worry, you idiot." Despite her insult, her words were somewhat gentle. "Learn to be a little considerate of others, would you?"

Beside her, Ichigo's face softened, a small smile playing at his lips. She saw him from the corner of her eye, but kept her expression as a scolding one. There was a pause before he spoke. "Were _you _worried?"

The question took her by surprise, and she reacted instinctively. "Of course, you dolt!" She whirled on him, glaring vividly. "What did I just say? Is it that hard for you to understand that other people care about you, Ichigo?"

Ichigo blinked repeatedly, but then the soft smile returned to his face. "Ah…I guess you're right."

"Of course I am." Rukia snapped haughtily. "And don't ever make me confirm such a foolish thing again."

Ichigo's smile was still in place, and he looked significantly more at ease than he had the whole ride. But after a few moments, his smile dropped and his frame sagged forward slightly. Rukia noticed, and she turned to him. Without warning, she reached out and placed her hand under his chin, using the tips of his fingers to make him face her. He looked surprise at the contact, but didn't protest.

She met his gaze earnestly. "We'll be okay. Orihime, Kaien, Rangiku…And myself." she spoke evenly, but softly. "We can all take care of ourselves. You've taken a great deal by yourself, Ichigo, and you haven't asked any of us for help. So, at least let us be there for you." She smiled, and started to pull her hand back when he stopped her.

The surprise showed on her face when she felt Ichigo's large hand wrap around her slim wrist, holding it between them. From the look on his face, it seemed that the action had surprised him as much as it had her.

When he realized what he was doing, he opened his hand and let her go, almost immediately using that same hand to run through his hair and scratch awkwardly. Rukia felt her face fall slightly, but tried not to show it.

"We should get back." Ichigo spoke, his voice slightly huskier than usual. He had already turned away from her and stared intently through the windshield at the nearly fully-darkened sky. It was getting late.

Rukia nodded mutely and turned away as well. "My car…" she started.

"Yeah, I know." Ichigo was already starting the car. "I'll drive you back to Seretei."

-x-

When Ichigo pulled up beside the building with the words '_Seretei Daily'_ out front, he couldn't shake the strange feeling in the air. It was like the atmosphere was charged with unseen electricity, just waiting to spark between him and his passenger.

After she had caught up to him and effectively ended his already-frail attempt at avoiding her for her sake, he had actually felt lighter than he had in two days. It was a feeling like an oppressive weight had been removed from over him, and he could move freely again. However, that feeling had been replaced by something entirely different the moment he had reached out to grab her hand. He had barely even known what he was doing, but as soon as he did he felt the charge in the atmosphere. And the entire ride back, in silence from both parts -he didn't even dare to break it with music-, he could still feel the strange prickling sensation that made the fine hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

Once the car had stopped and they both sat unmoving, staring at the building, he had the uncanny feeling of dropping off a girl at the end of a date. The reluctance to move and the awkwardness of not knowing what to say was there…Which was odd. He had never truly had an awkward silence with Rukia; they could just as easily talk and banter as they could share comfortable silence. It was a quality that he didn't share with any other person he knew, and one he had not truly appreciated until now.

He realized that the awkwardness was largely due to the fact that he felt he _needed_ to say something this time.

She had already begun climbing out of the car when he broke the silence. "Rukia," he turned to her and she paused, one leg out of the car. He had to swallow when he was met with her violet gaze. "Tomorrow is New Year's Eve." He said, and he was reminded of how just a few days prior he had been having almost the same conversation with her. Despite remembering the results that had had, he went on. "I don't really have anything planned but…"

Rukia looked at him with wide violet eyes. Ichigo had to steel himself to go on, inwardly cursing himself for acting like such a school boy.

"If you want to come over…" He said, avoiding her eyes. It was as suave as he would ever get, apparently.

"Sure."

He had to check himself to make sure he had heard her right. She had agreed?

Ichigo turned to face Rukia again and saw her smirk. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

He felt himself grinning in return, though a part of him felt that he should have been the one asking that -he dismissed this annoying part by reminding it that she had agreed and that was that-. "Yeah, see you then."

With that, Rukia finished climbing out of his car and, after turning to give him one last smile, shut the door and walked off into the building to head down to the parking lot.

Ichigo felt his grin stretching from ear to ear as the nervous fluttering in his stomach settled into a content warmth. He sat back in his seat, grinning stupidly until he saw Rukia's car exiting into the road; then he rode off, heading to his house, thinking that he should probably stop to buy some groceries now to fill his fridge after being ransacked by his glutinous father.

Tomorrow should be an interesting day.

-x-

Hidden in the shadows of the night, no one noticed the men standing at the fifth-story window of the Seretei building, staring through the gap between the shades and seeing the two cars speeding away from the area at the late hour.

"Ya were right as usual, Mr. Aizen." Said the first man, his grinning features lit only mildly by the lights coming through the window.

"It appears so, Gin." the brown-haired man turned to his companion. "Reading people is exceedingly easy, when one knows what to look for."

The silver-haired man chuckled. "You can be real scary, ya know that, Mr. Aizen?"

Light glinted off the second man's glasses, but he only smiled in response.

"So what are yer plans for 'em anyway?" The silver-haired man asked after a moment.

"That, Gin," responded the bespectacled man. "Is still to be decided. But you can be sure it will be enough to fend off your boredom for a while."

"Hmm? Scary indeed..."

* * *

**A/N: Okay so, that wasn't originally supposed to be a whole chapter. This was supposed to be only part of chapter 14, but as it was, it took a lot longer than I had anticipated. I thought about making it a really long chapter, but I felt that would make me have to limit what's coming next too much, so I decided to just publish the shorter chapter. But hey, it was a ridiculously early update (not even a week passed!) so I hoped that would make up for it ;P**

**Personal note- I liked the Orihime scene. Some RukiHime bonding is always good IMO. Some might think Orihime is slightly OOC- but this is just how I envision she will be when she -finally- gets over her "Kurosaki-kun!" stage. So we had mentions of some good ol' onesided IchiHime and yeah, a little mention of UlquiHime there as well ;) But the ultimate winner of her heart is Ishida-kun. Because who said nerds can't be sexy?**

**Oh and, kudos to anyone who caught the 'Aren't we friends?' manga speech reference in this chapter ^.^  
**

**To: _Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky, love-mikan, ali6220, Vman9000, novicestar, pamianime, youtubesam, IchiRuki2.0, shnizlefritz, Kuroi-cho-tsuki-shiro, VioletCrush, Iuterpi, Alyssa, AiyaZen, TruantPony, Rukia Martinez, Poisonfish, Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius, Mokimoki-chan, BleachOrcalover13, ADVluv4life _and_ dArkAnge04_**

**Thank you for all the reviews, as always!:D Seeing your interest in the story keeps my hyped up, and eager to write more :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter, even though it wasn't supposed to be a whole chapter in the first place haha xD**

**Next chapter: New Year's Eve at Ichigo's house :)_  
_**


	15. New Beginnings, Old Avenues

_7:06 PM_

Ichigo's brown eyes fixed on the clock mounted on the wall across from where he sat on his couch. He kept a hand -tightened into a fist now- over his right leg as it pumped up and down rapidly; his other hand remained stretched out over the back of the couch, the fingers drumming nervously over the leather. In front of him, the small television set showed some weather girl announcing clear skies for the following weekend to an inattentive audience.

_She's late._

The thought kept running over Ichigo's mind as his gaze remained locked on the clock. Rukia had said she would come over at seven o' clock after he'd emailed her his address -just as a precaution though seeing as she had already been to his house once-.

Maybe she had gotten lost, or maybe she was stuck in traffic -a lot of people went out to meet with their friends and family on New Year's Eve-, or perhaps her car had broken down, and she couldn't come after all…Or maybe she had simply changed her mind and decided she didn't _want_ to go to his house after all…

But what if that wasn't it at all? What if she had gotten sick, or worse? Had she been in accident? Maybe he should call to make sure she was alright… But if she _hadn't_ been in accident, then she'd undoubtedly laugh at him for calling to ask, and she'd probably continue to bring it up just to annoy him the rest of the evening…If she decided to show up at all, that was.

_7:07 PM_, the clock read now.

Ichigo was just wrestling himself over whether he should reach for his phone and give her a call or just wait a little longer, when he was abruptly brought out of his thoughts by the sound of knocking.

He all but ran to the front door and yanked it open.

There was a moment when the petite woman on the other side sucked in a sharp breath of surprise at the door flying open so fast, and in which Ichigo stood rooted to the spot, his voice mysteriously caught in his throat.

Then, after the moment passed, she spoke up. "Hey, Ichigo."

The moment he heard his name come from her mouth and saw the smile curling her lips, all at once his anxiousness drained out of him as if by magic. The jumbled mess of thoughts in his mind quieted and the knots in his stomach became undone as he looked at her. She was dressed simply; wearing a zipped up lilac sweater, black leggings and a scarf, along with winter boots and a white beanie over her midnight hair. For all her simplicity, the way her smooth creamy cheeks turned slightly pink in the cold and her violet eyes seemed to sparkle in an amethyst tone -lighter than he'd ever seen them-, still made his breath catch in his throat for an instant before he shook himself out of his daze.

"Rukia." He said simply, his lips curving into a natural smile.

"So are you going to let me in or wait until my fingers start to turn purple?" Rukia's smile shifted into a familiar smirk.

Ichigo felt himself rolling his eyes as they quickly slipped into their comfortable interactions, though he couldn't quite erase the slight smile from his features. "Try not to break anything." He commented offhandedly as he stepped aside to let her pass.

With nothing but a slightly exaggerated eye roll, Rukia walked into the warmth of his living room and started to unwrap her scarf from around her neck, then casually threw it over the back of the couch. Ichigo couldn't help but notice how at ease she looked, standing there in the middle of his house. Even though she'd only been there once, briefly, she still looked as comfortable as if she were stepping into her own home.

"Hungry?" Ichigo asked, kicking the door shut behind them and walking up behind her, shutting out his inner musings before he could start thinking too much.

"I could eat."

"Great." Ichigo said with somewhat exaggerated cheer, which made Rukia immediately turn to give him a suspicious glance. "I hope you're in the mood for instant noodles then…Because that's all we have."

His father was a pig, and while he was at it, so was his sister Karin. Have them both over for one day and he was bound to expect a cleared out refrigerator. And going to the supermarket the night before New Year's eve was about was productive as attempting to start his own harvest in during winter…in the middle of the city.

"Instant noodles just happen to be an entire food group as far as I'm concerned." Rukia smirked, and Ichigo felt his lips twitching upwards in response before he started towards the kitchen.

-x-

Thanks to the miraculous wonders of instant food, it was only fifteen minutes later that Rukia found herself comfortably perched on the countertop at Ichigo's kitchen, contentedly slurping the precooked noodles.

She acted oblivious to the pair of brown orbs that were currently glaring at her form.

When the male noticed that his silent approach was being ignored, he cleared his throat. "Is there any particular reason why you're sitting _on the counter?_"

Rukia finished loudly slurping one of the long noodles, licking her lips before looking up casually. "Is there any particular reason why _I shouldn't?"_ She raised an eyebrow slyly.

Ichigo's own eyebrows appeared to twitch. "Yes! How about the fact that I put actual food on this surface, that I _eat!"_

"I don't see the problem."

"The _problem_ is your _behind_ on my _counter!_" Ichigo put an exaggerated amount of emphasis on the words, which seemed to have no effect on the listener. "It's unsanitary!" He declared.

"Stop being so squeamish." she replied flatly, starting to take her chopsticks back up to her mouth before adding an, "Idiot.", for good measure. "Relax and eat your food."

Ichigo set his face in a stubborn scowl, the bowl of untouched food in one hand and chopsticks in the other. He stared at Rukia for a good thirty seconds without seeing the slightest twitch of response from her. Finally, holding back a sigh of defeat, he grudgingly turned around and slid unto the countertop beside her, his tall frame barely requiring for him to hoist himself up.

The raven-haired woman hid a smirk behind her the arm that held her chopsticks, and continued eating silently, Ichigo following her example beside her.

"So," Ichigo started after a minute or so. "I'm surprised you're here."

Rukia peered at him from the corner of her eye, frowning. "You…?"

"I mean," he amended quickly, gulping down a mouthful before continuing. "I'm surprised you didn't have anything planned for New Year's. Most people would be out drinking with friends and family. Not…" He deliberately trailed off, motioning to the warm bowls they each held, before looking at her, then down at himself.

_Not eating instant noodles with someone,_ he was trying to say.

Rukia felt herself smiling slightly in response. "Well, the alternative is being home by myself eating leftovers. This isn't so bad in comparison." She smirked slightly at the last part.

Ichigo only gave her a slight scowl in response before relaxing again. "But seriously, you didn't have any plans with anyone, not even that stuffy brother of yours?"

She chuckled dryly at that. "New Year's -or any type of celebration actually- with my brother means a room full of grouchy businessmen parading around their trophy wives while abusing alcohol."

"Sounds like fun."

Rukia threw him a look that said, _you have no idea._ A heartbeat later, she spoke up again. "What about you?"

"Hmm?" Ichigo looked sideways at her.

"Why aren't _you_ spending any quality time with your family?" she specified.

Ichigo didn't hesitate. "One holiday is more than enough quality time with my father, thank you."

She laughed at that, before shaking her head slightly. "You love them a lot, your family. Don't you?"

Ichigo seemed slightly taken aback by her question. He swallowed one last gulp, then set his bowl and chopsticks on the counter, leaning back on his arms. His expression was faintly thoughtful. "Well they're all insane. My dad especially. But, they're my family." He turned his eyes away, fixing his gaze on the ceiling. "You love them anyway, right?"

Rukia watched him, feeling something tug at her heart; whether it was because of his words or something else. She couldn't tell. He turned to her and spoke again before she had a chance to.

"Isn't it like that for you?" he asked lightly. "Your brother seems to have a stick shoved pretty far up his a-", the last of his sentence was cut off by a sharp glare from her. "But still, he's your family. Am I wrong?"

Rukia turned her gaze away, staring at nowhere in particular. "I guess you could say my relationship with Byakuya is…complicated. But he took me in, he's my only family. You're right. I do love him."

Ichigo was staring at her with a frown pulling at his brows. He straightened up slightly to look at her. "Your only family…?" He asked, almost softly. He seemed to regret his question, because not a second later he was shaking his head and saying, "I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay." Rukia interrupted smoothly. "It's nothing I mind talking about. Byakuya adopted me as his sister when I was eight years old. I never knew my parents."

-x-

Ichigo couldn't stop his face from turning into an expression of surprise. He quickly shook himself out of it though, carefully fixing it into a neutral expression. He didn't say anything, waiting to see if she would go on.

She did, but not how he'd expected.

"You look a little constipated, Ichigo." she snickered. "I can see the questions in your eyes. You don't have to try so hard to hide them."

Ichigo snorted. "Shut up, I'm not that interested."

"Really?" Rukia lifted a thin eyebrow. "Because I never suggested you were _interested_."

He silently cursed himself for walking into that one.

"You can't really miss something you never had." she said after a while, still clutching the now empty bowl now on her lap. Ichigo's eyes were on her quickly, but he remained quiet. "My years in the orphanage are actually some of my fondest memories. I made good friends there. I guess you could say, they were my first family."

He couldn't help but notice the hints of a smile tugging at her lips, as her eyes became slightly unfocused, momentarily lost on a memory only she could see.

_Orphanage…_The word echoed around in his head. It conjured up images of sad children; kids forced to face the world without the ones meant to guide them through it.

He thought of his mother, and the pain of losing her. He wondered what it would have been like to never have known her, but dismissed the notion quickly. He knew at once that would go through the pain of losing her a thousand times over if it meant one more day with her.

But the way Rukia spoke…"_You can't really miss something you never had."_

He studied her profile, but her features were relaxed as ever. He could find no trace of a lie, or hidden pain in them.

Finally, to break the silence, Ichigo asked, "But you were adopted then, right?"

She seemed to snap out of a trance as she turned to him, but only a moment passed before she nodded. "Yes. Byakuya took me in as his sister…He was barely in his mid twenties at the time."

"And he raised you by himself?" Ichigo couldn't keep the surprise coloring his tone away. He found it hard to imagine stony-faced Byakuya Kuchiki bringing up an eight year old in his home. The image did not compute.

Something in the way Rukia's face fell slightly told him that perhaps his surprise wasn't unfounded. "More or less." She answered him. At this, he raised an inquisitive eyebrow, which earned him a sigh from the raven-head. "Part of it was Byakuya…Part of it was a torrent of nannies and maids. He was too busy to have time to dedicate to a child, and many commitments to maintain."

"He had a commitment to _you."_ The words left Ichigo before he could ponder them. He couldn't stop the twinge of resentment he felt towards the other male; even if it wasn't by blood, he had a responsibility as a brother. What kind of-?"He did what he could." Rukia cut off his train of thought, her voice surprisingly strong…defiant.

Ichigo was taken aback by the intensity of her rebuttal. But then he felt his expression soften as he met her eyes. Behind the bravado in her violet hues, he could see the swirling emotions that she tried to cloak. He was left silenced.

When she spoke again, her voice had gone back to its calm tone, but it seemed more hollow than before. "I understand that he couldn't be there…I am still grateful that he took me in. He had no obligation, and it was more than I could ever have asked for."

There was no accusation in her eyes or in her voice. No anger or blame. She truly believed what she was saying. And above all else, Ichigo could read one emotion in her eyes…

_Loneliness._

Ichigo felt his throat constrict as he imagined such a lonely childhood, while simultaneously feeling his resentment towards the man grow exponentially. As his resentment bubbled up into anger, he let his face morph into a scowl and he scoffed loudly. "That's bullshit."

"Wha-?" The female's eyes flew wide open, round as saucers in shock. Whatever response she had expected from him, it wasn't what she got.

"I don't care what 'commitments' he had." Ichigo went on. "His first duty was to you as a brother."

"Ichigo…" It seemed the name escaped her lips involuntarily. She stared at him, wide-eyed, seemingly unsure of how to respond to his words.

The orange-haired man turned away then, looking away from her surprised eyes. He heard her put down the emptied bowl on the flat surface of the countertop, and he could literally _feel _her as she started to reach out to him. He didn't move, ready for her fingers to make contact with him…

And they did. Just not in the way he expected.

"_Oi!"_ he screeched out, more out of surprise than any real pain as he rubbed his arm for show. "What now?" He growled, giving her a good glare.

It was for nothing though, seeing as how she was facing forward now, away from him. But he noted how her posture had relaxed into a casual pose, her hands at either side of her on the edge of the countertop. "That was for being such a sap." She remarked plainly.

"A _sap?" _he bellowed disbelievingly, not missing the way her lips had curled up at the side.

"You heard me." She said, a playful smile in her voice.

Ichigo snarled, crossing his arms over his chest. Though inwardly, he smiled. _That flash of loneliness had gone from her eyes._

The orange-haired man turned a minute later at the sound of Rukia hopping off the counter. He looked at her curiously and saw that she was picking up both their discarded bowls and utensils and walking up to the sink. Just as her hand reached for the faucet, Ichigo hopped down in one fluid movement and was beside her in the blink of an eye.

"I'll handle that." he said quickly, using his body to lightly bump hers out of the way and reaching for the faucet himself.

"No that's fine. You cooked so I can-"

"They were _instant_ noodles, Rukia. That hardly counts as cooking."

"Still, I don't mind washing the dishes."

"It's my house. I can wash my own dishes."

"And I already offered to do it for you."

"I don't _need_ you to do it for me."

"I'm being nice! Can't you appreciate a favor?"

"You're being annoying! I already told you I'd do it, you're supposed to be the guest here, so just go sit in a corner and wait for the host quietly like you're supposed to!"

"_You-!"_

In the midst of their latest argument and rising voices, neither of the two present were aware of the knocking sound coming from the front door.

"Fine! If you want to do the dishes so badly, _here!_" The raven-head emphasized her sentence by throwing the dripping sponge she had managed to get a hold of moments earlier, the faded yellow rectangle landing square in the face of the man beside her.

"Why you-!" The orange-haired man growled, grabbing the sponge in a firm grip, before a spark lit his eyes.

Rukia noticed it too late, and didn't have enough time to stop him before he squeezed the soaked sponge right into her midnight hair.

"You're going to pay for that!" She was just moving to turn on the faucet and take advantage of its rapidly flowing water, but was stopped short by the sound of a door slamming open with such force it practically seemed to have smashed against the wall. "What the-?" she squeaked out, turning to look in the direction of the adjoined living room, when Ichigo's body blocked her vision.

He stood with her back to her, his frame having gone rigid.

"Where you expecting someone?" Rukia asked from behind him, her eyes trying to look around the man and towards the living room.

"No." Ichigo answered, his voice hard.

A jolt of alarm shot through Rukia, her hands tightening at her sides suddenly at the realization.

_Someone broke in…_

But then she felt her eyebrows furrow. _Who would be so carelessly loud when breaking into a house…?_

She was just about to voice her thoughts in a whisper to Ichigo, but instead looked up at him in surprise as a curse flew out his mouth.

"_Shit."_

"What is-?"

She didn't get a chance to finish her question, as a broad-shouldered, tall figure appeared on the threshold connecting the kitchen and living room.

Her eyes widened, then the man took a step forward…

-x-

_Fuck me._ It was all Ichigo had time to think as he caught sight of the widening grin on the man before him.

After that, he went into auto pilot.

"ICHIGO!"

His father was on the floor barely an instant after launching himself with impressive speed for his age towards him.

"What the hell are you doing here, Goat-chin?" Ichigo asked as he pinned the older man to the floor.

Behind the two men, the petite raven-head watched the odd spectacle with creased eyebrows, but her stance had relaxed significantly. It would seem Ichigo at least knew the man…

"What do you mean what am I doing here? I'm your father! You are the fruit of my loins! I have a right to visit you once in a while!" Isshin cried out from under his son's hold.

"No you don't!" Ichigo retorted. "Especially if you don't even call first! And much less if you break into my house, you lunatic!"

"Oh! Your words wound me, you'll regret them when I'm dead!" he continued to wail.

Ichigo groaned. "Like _you_'d ever die! You'll probably outlive us all just to pester us for the rest of our existences!"

They probably would have continued for a while, if not for the quiet "Umm…" that reminded one man of another's presence, while it alerted the other for the first time.

_Oh no…_ Ichigo felt himself pale.

Isshin's ears perked up like a hound dog's and his eyes lit up with a gleam that could mean nothing good.

"I feel like I'm missing something." Rukia stated.

"Do my ears deceive me?" Breaking against Ichigo's hold like it was nothing, the dark-haired male was abruptly on his feet and his brown eyes were fixed on the third person occupying the room. "They don't!" he exclaimed, his eyes widening. "It's true, there is a woman in my son's house!"

Rukia's eyes widened in belated realization.

"This is…" she muttered, her eyes going from the brown-haired man to the one with bright orange spikes. "Your father?" she asked at last, looking at Ichigo. Something in her tone must have given her away, because the next instant Isshin had wrestled himself free and to his feet, Ichigo being too slow to stop the man from appearing by the woman's side with uncanny speed.

"So he's talked about me!" Isshin declared, before leaning in closer to inspect Rukia's face.

To her credit, she barely even flinched; instead she blinked her large eyes in surprise at the sudden invasion of personal space. A moment later, the man had stepped back, a serious look on his face that made the woman slightly nervous. But then he broke out into an ear to ear grin and held a thumbs up. "I approve!"

"Huh?"

Rukia's confusion was promptly ignored as Ichigo snapped to his feet and was yelling in his father's face. "What are you talking about, old man?"

"Oh you don't have to play innocent with me, my boy." Isshin was still grinning as he slapped his son's shoulder and gave him a wink. "Daddy's very proud that you got a girl like that! I was starting to have my doubts about you, but I should have known the Kurosaki genes would not fail! You were merely a late bloomer-"

"Shut up, crazy old man!" Ichigo cut him off before he could go any further, feeling his ears getting hot.

Before he could get another word in, his dad was already back to Rukia's side. "Why, forgive my son's terrible manners, I'll have to introduce myself." Isshin was saying. "I am Isshin Kurosaki, and what is the name of this lovely lady?"

Rukia looked hesitantly at his now outstretched hand, almost as if expecting it to grow teeth and bite her any minute, but then she relaxed into a smile. "I'm Rukia Kuchiki, pleasure to meet you Mr. Kurosaki. Don't worry, I am well accustomed to your son's dreadful manners and personality." She spoke brightly, taking his hand and shaking it.

Isshin's eyes lit up like stars at her words, and he shook her small hand with both of his, his enthusiasm pouring through, both people seemingly unperturbed by Ichigo's enraged "_What?" _somewhere in the background.

"Such a well-spoken young lady!" The older man cried.

Rukia made a show of giggling behind her free hand as she received praise, before answering with her own. "I never thought such a nice, handsome man could have been Ichigo's father! I can hardly even see the resemblance."

Isshin looked like he was seconds away from pulling the petite woman into a bear hug, when the ignored young man decided it was time to step in.

"_Hey!"_ he stepped between his father and Rukia. "I'm still here ya' know!"

"Rude as ever," the petite woman lamented. "This is what I have to deal with."

Ichigo openly gaped, while Isshin simply turned to Ichigo and struck his fist over his head. "Haven't I taught you anything, boy? It's not polite to interrupt a conversation." He turned away from his dumbfounded son to Rukia. "I apologize on behalf of my son, Miss Rukia! I promise that not all Kurosaki men are as bad as he makes us look!"

"Okay, that's enough!" Ichigo burst, cutting off the reply that was just shaping itself on Rukia's smirking lips. He stepped in between her and his dad again, making sure his tall frame hid them from one another as he whirled on his progenitor, folding his arms over his chest and leveling a glare at him. "Just _what_ are you doing here? Don't you and Yuzu always throw a party at home for all the neighbors in New Year's?"

Isshin straightened up and crossed his arms to match Ichigo's pose. Tossing his chin in the air, he started to answer. "Yes, even if you've never bothered to show up." Ichigo didn't move, and so he went on. "But," he lowered his head, and stuck out his lower lip. "The twins didn't come to spend the day with me this year! They're at some party with their college friends and they left their poor old father all alone!" He wailed pathetically, launching himself forward to hug the younger male.

Ichigo tried to wrench himself free without much luck, his scowl deepening. "Let go, Goat chin! Karin and Yuzu are twenty-years-old, they can spend New Year's wherever they want to!"

"Aha!" Isshin abruptly let him go, pointing an accusing finger at him. "So it _is_ your fault that my sweet girls have abandoned their daddy! You've poisoned their minds!"

"I have not!" Ichigo retorted. "You drove them away yourself by being the big idiot you are!"

"That's no way to talk to your father, you delinquent son of mine! Ah, Masaki!" He looked towards the ceiling. "Do you see this? Your son is so cruel to the man who raised and cared for him!"

"Not this again!" Ichigo ran a hand down his face, frustration clear on his features. He snapped his gaze to look behind him as he heard laughter beyond the cries of his father. "What are _you_ laughing at?"

Rukia looked up at him with an almost devious grin. "Have you seen your face right now?"

Suffice it to say, the evening was not going as Ichigo had planned.

-x-

Roughly forty-five minutes later found Ichigo relegated to the corner of his own couch, while Rukia and his Dad occupied the rest of it, currently immersed in his father's latest story about Ichigo's first visit to a beach…And how he had lost his trunks in a wave.

Some time ago, the orange-haired male would have jumped in to stop his dad from telling an such story, but after a few dozen times of trying and being pushed away by both the man and the rather fascinated woman, he simply gave up and settled for sitting quietly, attempting to drown out their voices with the sound of the television. Anyone looking upon the scene might have said he resembled a grumpy child at a family reunion; which was almost accurate, except that he was the one actually related genetically to the man who was currently engaged in what was surely a great conversation for the small raven-haired woman.

"Really Rukia," Isshin was saying. "You should have seen his face! He was red as a strawberry as he ran out and jumped into his mother's arms, crying and with his little tiny Ichigo out for the whole beach to see!"

Ichigo could only groan as he caught the end of that particular story above the sound of the TV. He turned up the volume, to no avail, as it was already well past the point that he ever considered acceptable, much less tolerable.

Rukia's light laughter in response only served to aggravate him further. He turned his head ever so slightly to the side, seeing the slender female sitting in between the two Kurosaki men. Her violet eyes, lightened to lavender by the color of her sweater, were wide and seemed full of wondered as she listened attentively to each story. Her laugh at his expense was unrestrained, and despite his greatest efforts, he felt his muscles relaxing accordingly to the sound.

"I never realized Ichigo was such a crybaby before!" Rukia grinned, her body half turned towards the man in question, purposely allowing her words to reach him easily.

"I was a kid!" Ichigo jumped to his defense predictably. His defenses fell on deaf ears.

"Oh he was a crier alright!" Isshin boomed mercilessly. "You should have seen him when he took his first karate classes! Ichigo here would always get his ass handed to him by a girl."

"Tatsuki could probably knock _you_ senseless, old man!" The orange-haired man retorted resentfully. "She doesn't count as a girl!"

His father turned his eyes to the woman beside him. "See the violent reaction?" He spoke in a lowered volume, cupping a hand at the side of his mouth as if he was sharing a secret. "He still hasn't gotten over that. You know he's always scowling around to compensate for his soiled manhood." The man nodded to himself as he finished, as if he had just shared some piece of invaluable wisdom.

Ichigo just about launched himself onto his dad for what he felt was a well-deserved beating, but had to stop himself because Rukia was still in between them. He settled for a dark glare and gritting his teeth almost audibly.

"Look at that!" Isshin pointed at him. "He's doing it right now!"

Whatever Rukia's surely amused reply would have been was cut off by the muffled ringing coming from the pocket of her sweater. As she took out the cell, she glanced briefly at the display before standing up and excusing herself.

"I have to take this call," she said, the smile leaving her features. "Be right back." she added hurriedly, before stepping away towards the kitchen.

Ichigo could only catch one word before she was out of earshot: _"Brother."_

His brows knitted closer together as he stared after her, catching only glimpses of her form as she paced behind the counter they'd been using as a bench earlier.

He was snapped back to the man beside him by a careless blow to the side of his head. "Agh! That was a cheap shot!" He accused immediately, back to glaring at his father.

The dark-haired man merely sat back and his face relaxed innocently. "There's no such thing as a cheap shot, son. You should be prepared to deal with whatever comes at you, expected or not."

Ichigo frowned at the words that he suspected carried a fair amount of double meaning with them. "Hmph." He grunted in response, turning to look at the TV before them.

Father and son sat in a rare comfortable silence, veiled only by the sounds of an old western film, for a few peaceful minutes. The silence was broken by the elder male, who did not turn to look at Ichigo as he spoke. "She reminds me of Masaki." He said simply.

His calm words contrasted with Ichigo's exalted reaction. "What? _Rukia?"_ he asked incredulously, whirling to face his dad. "She's nothing like mom!" He declared, remembering his mother's gentle face framed by her long, honey-colored wavy hair; then thinking of Rukia's starkly different appearance and countenance.

"She makes you smile." Isshin countered easily, not appearing the least bit put out by Ichigo's reaction.

At this statement, Ichigo backed down, feeling completely taken aback.

"I noticed it right away." His father continued, still not facing him. "Even if you yourself haven't. Whenever she's in the room, you can barely keep the stupid grin off your face."

"That's not…" Ichigo started to argue, before he realized it was a futile attempt. Almost of their own volition, his eyes wandered back towards the kitchen area, seeking out her slight figure from within the shadows.

Isshin was studying his face now from the corner of his eye, not missing the way Ichigo's gaze settled calmly after an instant; he could only guess on whom. He wondered vaguely if his son had any idea of how his brown eyes lit up like ambers at the mere sight of the woman.

"Just try not to have your head up your ass too long." Isshin said with a scoff.

"What are you-"

"People like that don't come around every day." He cut off Ichigo's question. "Sometimes they don't stick around forever either."

Ichigo's face had twisted into confusion, and there may even have been a flicker of fear passing through his features just for a split second. He started to open his mouth, no doubt to ask his dad what he meant exactly, but never got the chance to voice anything.

"Rukia!" Isshin exclaimed, his childish antics and delight firmly back in place.

"Everything okay?" Ichigo asked as casually as possible, meeting her gaze.

Her eyes held his for a moment longer than necessary, before she offered them both a smile. "Yes, just my brother calling to wish his best." she explained quickly. Her eyes remained on Ichigo as she said this, and in them he could see that she was not letting on everything, but that now was not the time to talk about it.

"Ah, what a nice sibling relationship!" Isshin said almost dreamily. "I bet this idiot has not even bothered calling his little sisters today-"

"I talked to them this morning, goat-face!" Ichigo retorted, easing back into their usual interactions.

The two males went back and forth for a little while longer, before Isshin suddenly straightened up', putting a hand over his belly. "I'm starving!" he declared suddenly. "Don't you have any food here?"

Ichigo scoffed loudly, rolling his eyes. "You ate it all the last time you were here."

Isshin made a show of pouting dramatically. "After so many years of feeding you, this is how you repay your father? How ungrateful children are nowadays!"

"Oh zip it, you old fart." Ichigo said exasperatedly. "If you want food, go somewhere else. You aren't going to find it here."

"I think I will." Isshin agreed, to everyone's surprise. The man jumped to his feet and started towards the front door.

"Eh?" Ichigo looked at him in confusion. Usually it took hours of kicking and screaming (literally) to get his old man to leave any place. The turn of events was unexpected to say the least.

Isshin seemed unperturbed, stretching his arms over his head and yawning widely. "Yeah, I think I'll just fill up and head home. I bet Karin and Yuzu will have started feeling sorry they left me by now and will want to meet me at home. I can't disappoint my girls."

"I doubt they'd be disappointed." Ichigo muttered under his breath.

"Have a good time then!" Isshin started to wave at them as he grabbed the jacket he'd tossed on the floor carelessly. "Try not to miss me too much, eh?" He sent a wink towards Rukia. "And don't let my idiot son get out of line, Rukia!"

"Don't worry!" The petite woman replied from beside Ichigo. "I'll make sure he behaves!"

"That's my girl!" Isshin said, almost proudly. "What a fine daughter I have now!"

"Your…?" Ichigo felt his eye twitch. But before he could even start to chew out his dad for getting too familiar, the man was out the door and gone. Rubbing his nape as he released a breath, he said, "That was tiring."

"That was fun." Rukia responded, and his attention snapped to her. He was about to tell her that she had to be kidding, but the glint in her eyes was answer enough.

"You both have problems." he settled for saying.

"Yes, and that would be you." Came her effortless comeback.

-x-

When Ichigo's father's impromptu visit was over, Rukia was suddenly rather aware that she and Ichigo were alone in his house. Sure, that had been the case before, but without the loud addition of his dad, it was like they were more alone than ever.

She chanced a look up to see Ichigo's expression, and judging by the way he stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked down at his shoes, she guessed his train of thoughts wasn't too far from hers.

"So what do you want to do now?" Ichigo broke the silence.

Rukia thought for a moment before looking up at him. "Are there any wide windows in this house?"

"Huh?" Ichigo looked at her oddly. "Wide…enough for what?"

At that, she quirked an eyebrow and smirked.

So it was that five minutes later that Rukia was carefully stepping on the window ledge of Ichigo's room, taking a firm grasp of the frame as she turned her body, all the while a very tense Ichigo barked at her things that went from, "Do you know what you're doing?" to "What the hell? Are you demented?"

"Oh shut up." Rukia said as she accommodated herself standing up, half of her body sticking out of the window, her head only a few inches below the one-story-high roof.

She felt herself grinning as she took a moment to calculate, before having her right hand let go of the top of the window frame.

"_Hey!"_

She heard Ichigo's slightly panicked shout just as she reached out and grabbed a firm hold of the edge of the tile roof. "Relax," she called out to him from her spot. "I know what I'm doing." As she reassured him, she felt a gust of chilled air hit her back and tussle the locks of hair resting over her nape. A moment later, she reached up with her other hand and had them both over her, hanging on to the roof.

"_Rukia,"_ Ichigo's somewhat distant voice was calling. "_Rukia what are you trying to do? Rukia!"_

The raven-head ignored his calls as she took in one breath, testing her grip on the mercifully dry tiles for a moment. Then, without further warning, she pushed herself off the window edge with a small jump, using her arms to heft her body up to the roof in one impulse. She landed like a cat on the slightly inclined plane, grinning to herself with the knowledge that after so many years, she still had not lost her touch.

A second later, she turned one her hands and knees and looked over the edge, unfazed by the new height. A bright-haired head had popped out of the window and was looking up incredulously. "You're insane!"

She laughed, enjoying the cold wind that picked up. "Come on! Are you going to stay down there all night?"

Ichigo's expression changed into one of horror. "You're not suggesting I go up there too, are you?" She only grinned back. "You're crazy! There's no way in hell I'd do something so stupid."

Rukia let a moment pass before she shrugged lightly. "Alright, I understand. Fear of heights is pretty common, even though this isn't all that high, but I understand the idea. It's okay that-"

"Oh no," Ichigo's scowl became more pronounced by the second. "You're not goading me into doing this."

"Suit yourself then." Rukia said simply, then turning away without another word and starting to rise to her feet. "You can just wait inside." Her conceding tone successfully hid the forming smirk on her face.

It took about two seconds before Ichigo screeched from below. "What the _fuck_ are you doing standing up? Get down you idiot!"

Rukia bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud, not making any move to indicate that she'd heard him or that she planned on doing as he said.

_Three, two, one…_ Just as she finished the little countdown in her head, she heard the telltale sounds of Ichigo's considerably larger body fighting its way out the square opening, along with a fair amount of cussing.

A second later, Rukia was crouching again and was looking over the edge at the man currently struggling to stand as she had on the window ledge, having trouble working his long limbs through.

"Changed your mind?" she asked, not bothering to keep the teasing note from her voice.

"Shut up." he grumbled in between curses. Once he was through, it didn't take him long to get to his feet and reach up to grab onto the edge of the roof.

He hesitate then, Rukia could almost hear him deliberating. But not too long after, he hefted himself up with as much force as she had, only his landing wasn't quite as graceful. He didn't quite calculate the right distance, and found himself with his torso up on the tiles while his legs dangled uselessly over the edge.

Just as another flurry of curses followed, Rukia took hold of his arm with one hand and the back of his jacket with the other. Using the strength that betrayed her tiny body, she pulled him up and, with their combined efforts, Ichigo managed to land fully on the roof of his house.

"Damn it," the man huffed, holding himself up on his elbow and looking up at the deceivingly strong woman who still had her firm hold on him. "I'm not doing that again…ever."

Rukia, panting slightly with the effort, beamed at him. "That's what you say now." She let go of her grip on his jacket, keeping a hand lightly placed on his arm, and turned to lie on her back. "Take a look."

Ichigo followed her example and went to lie flatly on his back, blinking once before looking up above him.

It was a clear night; hadn't snowed the past two days and there was barely a cloud in the sky. And to their good fortune, the full moon was out. A seemingly perfectly round orb, radiantly white in the middle of the black sky. Ichigo took in a small breath as he was met with the spectacle, uninterrupted by any buildings of lamp posts as he looked up from the rooftop. "Not bad." He breathed out.

"Not bad at all." Rukia said, a smile in her voice.

Ichigo chuckled low in the back of his throat. "Is this something you do often? Sneak onto rooftops at night?"

Rukia gave a small laugh before replying. "Not anymore. I did when I was younger though, at the orphanage. It was always either rooftops or climbing up trees…I guess I've always liked high places."

"That's weird." Ichigo commented unthinkingly. Tearing his eyes off the natural satellite, he looked sideways at Rukia. "You're weird."

"Look who's talking, Sir Fruit Head." she retorted, though her tone was more playful than mocking.

"I guess we're both weird then." Ichigo conceded, feeling his lips pull up. "I could think of worse things."

Rukia let her expression ease into a content smile, before looking back up to the sky. "You know, I stopped climbing when I was adopted. It wasn't proper behavior for a Kuchiki." she confessed, not entirely sure why, but somehow it felt right. Her gaze became just mildly melancholic. "Sometimes I wonder how things would have been like, if it had been different."

Ichigo gave her a sideways glance and found her looking straight at the moon, its milky light bathing her features.

"If I hadn't been adopted by Byakuya; or if I hadn't been adopted at all. Or if…" she trailed off. _Or if I'd met my parents. _

After she was silent for enough time that Ichigo figured she wasn't talking anymore, he spoke up. "It's okay to wonder sometimes."

Rukia's gaze flickered over to him, not having expected him to say anything.

"I…" Ichigo paused as something seemed to lodge itself in his throat. He cleared it before going on. "I wonder too. If she…"

_Your mother,_ Rukia understood immediately.

"But I learned, after some time," he went on. "That it doesn't matter how much you wonder. Or how much you wish it had been different. We can only continue forward…It's what they would have wanted, after all."

Rukia felt herself smiling again, her chest filling up with warmth at his words and, a sense of admiration. Despite everything that he'd gone through, he still found the will to move forward- not for himself, but for the ones he loved.

"And," Ichigo started once more. "Along the way you find other people. More who will make you realize that there are reasons to keep moving forward. Sometimes you even…" He trailed off, and Rukia wondered if he had stopped talking. She turned her head to face him, and found his eyes on her. Their amber shade looked dark in the night, reflecting the silver light of the moon, and her own face. "…You even find a reason to start smiling again."

Rukia felt her breath hitch as he said that, his eyes locked on hers. His gaze carried an intensity mixed with softness that made something flutter in her stomach.

"I didn't know you were such a romanticist, Ichigo." she said at last, folding her hands over her flat stomach in an attempt to control the fluttering feeling.

"Heh. Don't get used to it." Even as he said it, a smirk lifted his lips.

-x-

They talked about everything and nothing.

Ichigo talked about his family, telling her about his younger sisters. They were twins, he said, fraternal; and they couldn't be more different. Yuzu, older by nine minutes, was a sweet, softhearted girl; she took on the role of the mother in their house, cooking and cleaning for everyone. While Karin was the cynic; she had grown up as a tomboy, always hanging out as one of the guys and more interested in sports than girly magazines, and like Ichigo, had never hesitated to fight back or stand up for whatever she felt was right.

Rukia had smiled at his descriptions, picturing their small but warm family interacting in their younger days.

Rukia talked about her life in the orphanage. How she had a small group of friends that spent almost every minute together. How, when she was older, she would tell stories to her friends and the younger kids, to help them go to sleep on particularly rainy nights. How one of her friends, Renji, was still with her today.

Ichigo could hear the fondness of those memories in the way she spoke, and knew at once that she kept those days close to her heart.

He told her of silly things. How in middle school he was bullied for the unusual color of his hair. How in high school he had to work extra hard for his grades because his teachers all assumed he was a punk. How once he'd graduated he'd spent six months in the police academy, then went off to college and changed his major twice before landing on communications.

She told him that she'd picked up writing as a hobby to amuse herself after the boring activities she had to attend with her brother. When they got home, she would always hurry to her room and write about the events of the day, like a diary, only she focused on everyone but herself; how a certain businessman's toupee had slipped to the side of his head during dinner, how a woman's dress had ridden up and showed her ripped panty hose…Small things like that had soon filled pages that she'd go back to read on days when she was stuck in the house with nothing to else to do.

On and on they went sharing anecdotes about their days in high school and college; funny, embarrassing, downright painful…And then some.

It was no surprise that the two had lost track of time when the first fireworks started lighting the sky in different hues.

Surprised, Ichigo sat up and looked at his wristwatch, only to confirm that it was, in fact, midnight. "Well I'll be damned."

Rukia straightened up along with him and looked around his shoulder to his watch, checking for herself. "What do you know…Happy New Year, Ichigo." she said, watching with interest as the colors of the fireworks reflected dully upon the watch's glass surface.

"I didn't realize it was so late already." He scratched a spot behind his ear absentmindedly, before resting back on his hands and looking up to watch the show of pyrotechnics.

"Time flies by in good company." Rukia said smugly.

"Really? How would you explain tonight then?" It didn't even bother him when he received the light punch on the arm for that.

They sat quietly, listening only to the sounds of the fireworks and the celebrations in the nearby houses; it all seemed faraway, somehow. Like they were encompassed in their own little bubble. When all the celebrations started to die down, Ichigo spoke again.

"We should be getting back inside now."

"Right." Rukia mumbled, her eyes on the moon once again.

Ichigo shook his head as he started to get up. "Come on, it's still going to be there tomorrow night."

"What?" Rukia brought herself out of her daze to look at him in confusion.

"The moon." he pointed up for emphasis.

"Oh…" Rukia understood, but frowned. "Not really. Tomorrow, maybe. But not in a couple of weeks. It isn't always there." _Maybe that's what makes it so beautiful,_ she added thoughtfully to herself.

"But it _is_ always there." Ichigo said. "You just can't always see it."

And then his eyes were on hers, and she felt like they were piercing her very soul in that moment with their dark brown intensity. Swallowing, she tilted her head to the side. "Then we should still enjoy it when we can."

Rukia felt as if she was about to drown in his gaze. Her heart pounding and her breath nearly failing her, she was on the verge of standing up and running to him with an urge that she hadn't known she could feel, anything to alleviate the current pain in her chest.

But before she could even move, he had turned, crouching low, before dropping down, hanging on by his hands. She crawled hurriedly over towards the edge, in time to see him manage to swing his legs through the window and make his body follow after them, disappearing inside in an instant. As soon as he was gone from her sight, Rukia hastened to go over the edge as well, dangling on her hands only a moment before she swung herself down through the window.

Short as she was, the landing down was not as easy. The distance being greater for her to cover, she had to make sure her momentum threw her far enough that she wouldn't hit her head on the window sill as she came down. She managed that much, but still would have landed on her behind if not for a pair of strong arms that had seemingly awaited her and held her up as soon as she came through, stabilizing her on the spot.

Even after Rukia had regained her balance though, the hands around her did not loosen their hold. In their proximity, she noticed that her own hands had settled themselves over Ichigo's chest. They were barely inches apart now, and she could feel the warmth of him tempting her like a blanket after the cold open night air. When she breathed in, she took in his scent, which she'd never paid much attention to but now realized she recognized as well as that of her favorite perfume. She wasn't sure what exactly the smell was, but if she had to compare it with anything, it would be the smell of a warm breeze in a hot summer's day... The scent of grass and sunlight. She wanted to crush herself into him and wrap herself in the scent, and his warmth, entirely.

When she finally looked up, she almost choked. His eyes were on hers again, and in the unlit room, they looked as they had up on the rooftop; dark brown, but somehow still bright…Smoldering. A combination of intensity and vulnerability that robbed her of her breath.

"Rukia…" Her name left his lips in a husky whisper, and she could feel a shiver run down her spine.

Then her eyes trailed over his face. His hard jaw line, his Greek nose, the slight furrow that never quite left his eyebrows, and his lips… She ran her eyes over the shape of his full lips and vaguely remembered them crushed against hers in what seemed like a long-ago dream.

This wasn't the man she had kissed, a mere few months ago that felt like a lifetime. No, this was…

He was the man who helped her at work, who scowled and complained but would do everything in his power to aid her, who rarely smiled with his lips but often showed her smiles as bright as the sun in his amber orbs, who felt he could take on the world by himself but had allowed her to know and share a part of that weight…This was the man she had opened herself up to and who had done the same with her.

He was Ichigo.

And she could think of no one else who had ever made her feel as she did just then.

Taking one of her hands off his hard chest, Rukia reached up and lightly brushed her fingertips against his face as she had once, long ago. Ichigo's eyes widened a fraction then, but he made no other move.

When she pulled her hand back, he reached up one of his own and, with a gentleness that she had rarely -if ever- witnessed on him, he brushed her hair behind her ear, letting his fingertips linger along her jaw line and sending sparks throughout her body with every slight touch.

Rukia saw the slight instance of hesitation that flashed through his eyes, before he began to lean down.

She took a sharp intake of breath, not moving as she felt him close the distance between them; the hand that she still had on his chest trembling slightly. When his lips were only a breath away from hers, she started to stand on her toes, ready to close the remaining gap…

She was met with cold air.

Rukia had to catch herself to keep from falling forward as Ichigo pulled back abruptly, stepping away from her like she was poisonous.

"What the hell are we…" He was muttering, running his hands through his hair as he paced away from her. "I can't…" His expression was tortured as he looked at her one last time, then turned away, heading out of the room resolutely.

Rukia felt a notch in her throat, and never had she found it so difficult to breathe. Her eyes followed Ichigo, seeing that he was only steps away from exiting the room, and she knew instinctively that once he was gone, her chance would be lost, maybe forever.

Making a split second decision, Rukia felt her feet carry her almost automatically, moving fast until she was suddenly right behind Ichigo. Her hand shot out and was gripping his arm in an instant, twisting him to a halt and face her again. She had only a moment to register the expression on his face, which was a mixture of pain and longing and conflict, along with something else that would have stirred something deep within her had she had the chance to ponder it before she forcefully pulled him down at the same time as she rose to the tips of her toes.

She smashed her lips against his without a second thought, and everything disappeared around them at once.

* * *

**A/N: *evil laugh* Yes, yes I left it there.**

**Let's ignore this for a moment and say...this chapter was a bitch to write and not even for the chapter itself, but for everything around me, Rukia back in the manga made it impossible for me to concentrate on anything else. Then I was stressed out because classes start and just AGH! But finally, here I am at 3am the night before my first day of classes, finishing this...So be nice and please excuse any horrid mistakes.**

_**chineschopsticks, Ichirukilover154, MN, Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky, ali6220, Rukia Martinez, MindlessAbandon, shnizlefritz, novicestar, IchiRuki2.0, AiyaZen, pamianime, love-mikan, Mae Snapdragon, Mokimoki-chan, MONST3R, 1999, Alyssa, thehgirl13, TruantPony, .x, BleachOrcalover13, Fire331, Poisonfish, Aizawa Li Syaoran Vessalius, dArkAnge04, **_**and**_** VioletCrush, **_**thank you all so much for the great reviews!**

**Kudos to those of you who predicted the kiss (you know who you are *wink*wink*) and to those who demanded a kiss: rest assured, that has had no more effect on my writing now than ever xD The kiss was planned like this, so yeah...xD**

**I'd love to comment on a bunch of things right now, but I should have been in bed like 4 hours ago, so I'll have to leave you with this. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT! Hope you guys enjoyed and continue to enjoy what's to come!  
**


	16. Searching for Home

**A/N: This is _not_ technically a new chapter. I just re-uploaded a revised version of chapter 16. Nothing that ultimately affects the story has been changed, so you don't have to read it, but this is a version I am much happier with and I think you should all enjoy more as well. For more info you can check the AN at the end of the chap ;)**

* * *

Time stopped.

Ichigo's thoughts, which had been storming around his head just an instant before, seemed to fall quiet all at once. His muscles tensed in a belated reaction to being pulled against his will, but then almost as quickly they relaxed, as his body caught up to what was happening before his consciousness could.

Her lips pressed against his were a combination of softness and firmness, and her small hands fisted in his shirt kept him from being able to move back even if he'd wanted to. Which, if he had been able to rationalize at that point, he doubted he would have anyway.

Heat poured into him from where their lips met, and he could just begin to feel a current shoot through him when, without warning, she broke the contact.

As Rukia eased down onto the flats of her feet again, Ichigo felt himself almost unconsciously sway forward after her, almost like a dazed, starved man reaching for food that was pulled away from him. He caught himself just as his eyes opened _-when had he closed them?- _and he found himself staring into a pair of startled violet eyes that revealed as much shock and confusion as he felt. She loosened her hold on his shirt and opened her mouth as if to say something, but not a sound came out.

Then instinct took over Ichigo. All his previous train of thought had been lost in the brief kiss; all that was left was the burning sensation that started on his lips and extended all through his body, and the unquenchable desire to close the distance between himself and the woman in front of him.

His hands suddenly taking a firm hold of her hips, he all but yanked the petite woman forward, using the same momentum to twist their bodies and reverse their positions, so that she now stood between him and the exit of his room. Ichigo leaned forward just as he pushed the slender body in his hold until her back hit the wall behind her. Her lips parted in surprise, but before the startled gasp could leave her lips, he had bent down and caught her mouth with all the force and determination that he had held back until then.

Rukia's mind did not have time to catch up to his actions. But strangely enough, it didn't have to. Because just as she felt his warm lips crush hers, not carrying an ounce of hesitation, she found herself responding just as eagerly. Their lips molded together like two pieces of a puzzle, and the scolding fire that the contact ignited within her would have left her on her knees, if she hadn't reached up and taken hold of his arms to keep herself upright.

Feeling her slender palms grip Ichigo's firm upper arms, and reassured by the way his hold on her hips tightened in response, Rukia found herself beginning to kiss him back.

Their lips moved together in a harmonious rhythm that was both exciting and somehow familiar. Ichigo's taste engulfed her, and it was a sweet and fiery combination, not unlike cinnamon.

One of his hands moved from her hip to the small of her back, pulling her forward until the small distance between their bodies disappeared completely. She felt herself pressed into his lean warmth, and her hands tightened until they were fisted on the fabric of the shirt over his biceps. She used her hold to somehow pull herself even closer, all but burying herself against his chest, as they continued to move together without breaking apart for a second.

The feeling was almost dizzying. All that existed was the two of them: her hands on his arms, his hold on her hips and around her back, the feeling of his body crushed against hers; and most of all, their lips locked together as they tasted each other.

There was no way to tell how long it was before they finally pulled apart, gasping for breath, their hearts beating erratically within their ribcages. They didn't loosen their hold on each other, and when Rukia opened her eyes -slowly, as if afraid she would shatter a dream when she did-, she found herself immediately gripped by what she could only describe as twin pools of dark liquid gold.

Their breaths mingled together as they both struggled to bring their breathing back to a normal rate. Rukia looked up at him through a frame of long dark lashes, her sultry violet eyes all but knocking the wind out of him yet again.

"Hey…" Ichigo spoke at last, in a raspy, breathless voice.

Rukia had to stifle a laugh at the absurdity of his greeting, but the smile still pulled unyieldingly at her lips as she was overtaken by the warmth in his eyes in that moment. "Idiot… That's all you have to say?" Her voice was nothing but a raspy whisper.

Ichigo's lips pulled into a slight smirk, and she could hear a small chuckle escape him before he leaned forward and gently rested his forehead against hers, never taking his gaze away.

He didn't say anything, but his eyes told her everything. The hand that had still been resting on her hip came up and slowly, carefully, touched her warm cheek with the back of his fingers. His gaze was piercing and soft all at the same time; his amber orbs were both fire and honey.

But then he closed his eyes, and his eyebrows knitted closer together. Rukia felt her smile fall. "Ichigo…" She reached up to the hand that still lingered on the side of her face, but before her fingers could brush against his skin, he had taken his hand back and pulled away. She felt like she was slapped by the sudden, chilled air.

Racing to catch up to him, Rukia managed to reach Ichigo just as he stepped into the living room. Her hand shot out before she could so much as think about it, and was quickly taking hold of his arm and spinning him around to force him to face her.

"Why are you running?"

The words left her lips with a sincerity that left her feeling exposed and vulnerable, but she steeled herself and held Ichigo's conflicted eyes with an unwavering gaze.

He looked taken aback by her question, but after a moment his surprised face hardened. "Because I care about you!"

The moment his words reached her ears, Rukia truly understood what it was like to have her heart skip a beat.

She had been expecting anything but that… She wasn't ready to hear him say something like that. Her hand fell away from his arm and she had to resist the urge to take a step back, feeling suddenly overwhelmed. When she met his eyes, filled with so many emotions it was hard to pick them apart, she nearly turned away. Confusion, desperation…_honesty_. All of them were written on his darkened eyes.

"I shouldn't have asked you here…" Ichigo spoke, and the words felt like a blow to her stomach. "I'm such an _idiot."_

"At least we agree on something."

Ichigo's eyes widened, his mouth falling open.

Rukia, seeing him so torn, felt her own resolve and strength returning. "You _are_ an idiot."

"Rukia…?" he looked at her in confusion. For that fleeting instant, he looked like a lost little boy.

-x-

Rukia folded her arms over her chest and watched him with steely eyes.

"What do you want, Ichigo?" she spoke the question without hesitance.

He was taken aback, unsure of what she could mean.

"I thought you were the kind of man that was always sure of what he wanted, and then went after it. Why are you doubting yourself now?" She looked at him expectantly, almost disappointedly.

Ichigo opened his mouth to speak, but he was at a loss for words…

He knew what he wanted. Just moments before he had acted on that desire, and the feeling had been indescribable. But there was more… He wanted Rukia to be safe. He didn't know when it happened, but it had. He had gotten closer to her over the past couple of months, that much was obvious, but at some point, it had become more than just enjoying having her around.

He didn't know how to describe it, but every time he was at work and heard a someone opening the door to his office, his heart seemed to trip over itself. Whenever he stepped out and saw her sitting in her cubicle, he felt like a weight was lifted off his chest. If someone mentioned her name, his ears perked up immediately and he was suddenly filled with interest in the conversation. Any time they traded insults, he had to actively restrain himself from letting a smile appear in his face.

Whenever he saw her violet eyes light up at something he said, he felt like he understood what it was like to be know happiness again.

_I… I don't want to lose that…_

Ichigo felt his eyebrows furrowing deeply. He allowed his gaze to focus on the woman who stood before him; petite body in a firm stance, mouth set in a strict line, but her eyes…They were demanding and strong, yet held a softness that invited him to share all his worries and told him it would all be okay, because he wouldn't be alone.

"If I do this," Ichigo had to swallow against the rapidly forming lump in his throat. "I'll be putting you at risk. I can't do that."

Rukia closed her eyes then, just for a moment, then opened them. Ichigo was shocked to see anger filling the violet orbs.

"Don't speak as if this is only _your_ choice." She said, and her voice was as strong as her gaze. "Don't be so arrogant, Ichigo! I'm not your burden to bear. You don't have to protect me."

"That's not-"

"Let me finish!" she cut him off harshly, her eyes blazing. "You're scared." She said, and it was a statement. Not a question, not even an accusation. She was merely making an observation. "I understand that…But you shouldn't be. You can't push everyone away in order to take care of them." She took a step closer to him, making the distance between dangerously small. "You're only protecting yourself when you do that."

Ichigo felt his eyes widen again, but he knew better than to interrupt her then.

"You're selfishly keeping people away, when we don't want to stay back." Rukia looked up at him, then let her arms fall to her sides. "_I _don't want to stay back."

That took him off guard. He wasn't expecting her to be so straightforward.

"And I don't care what you say." she went on, putting her hands on her hips and adopting a haughty tone as she turned her nose up in the air. "You can't get rid of me, whether you want to or not."

Just then, Ichigo was reminded of why he cared so much about her. All his dread and his reluctance, his _guilt…_ It was like she made them dissolve. With her strong words and stubborn attitude, she took all his fears and doubts and crushed them.

"…It doesn't matter what I say then, huh?" he lowered his head so that he was looking at her through the fringe of his bangs.

"It's about time you learn that." she nodded firmly.

Ichigo turned away to hide his resurfacing smile. "I guess that changes things."

A few beats passed in silence, before Rukia spoke up. "I understand if you don't want to take things any farther, though." Her voice was quieter than before, but he could tell she was trying to keep her tone neutral.

"Rukia," he started, seeing that she wouldn't meet his eyes.

The raven-haired woman cleared her throat and began to turn on her feet. "I should get going now, it's late..."

"Don't."

She froze, only half turned away.

Ichigo felt his heart rate increase again, pounding against his chest as he summoned up the words that he wanted to say. "I never said I didn't want to…" He started, but shook his head. "I didn't mean-" He cut himself off again. "Look, you didn't let me say…"

Rukia raised an eyebrow as he started to pace from side to side, searching for the words that refused to leave him.

"Rukia, I-" He stopped as she turned back and fixed him with her deep violet pools. All the words drained out of him.

He took a large step forward, and before he could begin to question himself, reached up a hand and cupped his fingers beneath her chin. He tilted her head up and without warning, leaned down and claimed her lips for the second time that night, banishing all other thoughts from his mind.

Ichigo felt her lips relax against his as her hands automatically went up against his chest, but didn't make any effort to push him away.

He pulled away after only a moment, but kept his hold on her chin and his eyes fixed on her as she allowed her eyelids to open again. "That." He said in a breathy voice, his face only inches away from hers.

"Oh."

"That's all you have to say?" he quoted her from before, his voice mocking.

"Shut up." she snapped. Before he could even retort though, she had reached her arms around his neck and had pulled herself up and against him, crushing her mouth against his and cutting off any potential reply.

-x-

Ichigo had the distinct impression that he was waking up from a particularly pleasant dream when he cracked his eyes open that morning.

It was only when he started to stretch out and felt the cold, hard surface that he was lying on that he realized something was off: he wasn't in bed. Sitting up quickly, he looked around and immediately recognized the surroundings.

He was in his living room, on the floor -to be precise-, without so much as a blanket or cushion for comfort. He turned to look sideways and saw next to him, the most likely reason for why he had woken up on the bare floor of his living room.

Stretched out on her stomach, Rukia was currently occupying the leather couch beside him. Her even breathing indicated that she was still deep in sleep, and all Ichigo had to do was take a peek at her face, which she had rested on her arm, and confirm that she was indeed out like a light. Ichigo noticed that her other arm was hanging lazily over the edge of the couch, extended towards the floor. He took a quick look down and saw his hand on the floor, positioned just beneath her limp fingers.

With the sluggish movements characteristic of someone just waking up, he lifted his hand towards hers, and after tentatively brushing the back of her fingers, he wrapped his hand around hers. Her pale, dainty hand fit within his larger, calloused one like a piece of a puzzle sliding into place. Her cool skin felt soothing against his and he was, for a moment, too distracted in the feeling to notice the pair of large violet eyes fixing him with a curious stare.

"Your hand is warm."

Ichigo's eyes snapped to hers in surprise, but he didn't let go of her hand. "Rukia…" he spoke her name huskily, watching her face as he felt a familiar flutter within his chest at the sight of her unusually soft eyes.

Her gaze left him for a moment as her eyes scanned her surroundings, then returned to his intent eyes. "I spent the night here?" She asked, as if still dazed with grogginess, her voice strained with sleep.

"Guess we fell asleep." Ichigo said with the hint of a smile on his lips, while mechanically reaching a hand up to scratch unnecessarily behind his ear. His eyes met Rukia's with the same warmth that he saw reflected in the violet depths.

Rukia started to smile softly at him, but her face suddenly scrunched up and she yawned widely, causing Ichigo to smirk. "Still sleepy?" He questioned teasingly.

She gave him a weak glare but then quickly let her whole frame relax, as if she was easing herself into unconsciousness once more. Ichigo felt her hand go limp again in his. "I still have to drive back." She mumbled, her eyes already closed. He heard her groan slightly at her own words but make no further moves to get up any time soon.

Ichigo stared at her for a few, long seconds, before making a decision. Gingerly letting go of her hand, he went to his feet and -after stretching his arms over his head and rotating his head to get rid of the stiffness in his neck- looked down at the woman lying on his couch, already fast asleep. He sighed quietly as he bent over and carefully grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her so that she was lying on her back. Her eyebrows knit subtly at the action, but she didn't stir anymore.

Ichigo then proceeded to cautiously slide his arms beneath her body; one around her back, the other under her knees. One moment more, and he was effortlessly lifting her feather-light body in his arms.

Rukia didn't so much as flutter her eyelids until Ichigo had reached his bedroom; it was when he was gently setting her down on the bed that she finally squinted her eyes open. "Ichigo?" she asked, looking around in apparent disorientation. "Did I get home already?"

Ichigo was caught halfway between amusement and surprise. He hadn't expected her to be so far gone, but he felt himself smiling nonetheless as he replied softly. "Yeah…"

Her eyes drooped closed again and, as Ichigo pulled the dark blue sheets over her lithe form, she curled up under the warmth.

"You're home." Ichigo finished his reply, letting his gaze hover over her smooth face for a few seconds longer before he exited the room with the tiniest of smiles still etching his lips.

-x-

When Rukia awoke, she stepped shyly out of the bedroom, watching her surroundings carefully as if she were afraid one of them was going to jump at her and attack. She shuffled down the short hallway and emerged at the living room, almost immediately being greeted by the sight of unruly bright orange hair.

"Decided to emerge from your coma, I see?" He spoke without so much as turning his gaze away from the television where he sat on the couch.

Rukia felt like a deer caught in the headlights for an insult, having thought she'd been too quiet to have her presence detected. "What are you talking about?" She slipped into her casual-slash-annoyed manner almost mechanically.

Ichigo looked at her then, a hint of amusement glinting in his amber eyes. "You have no idea what time it is, do you?" She looked at him with a clueless expression, and he decided that was a confirmation. "It's one in the afternoon."

Rukia's eyes went wide and she shook her head. She did usually sleep in late on weekends, but she couldn't remember the last time she had even slept past noon.

"You look surprised." Ichigo observed with a quirked eyebrow, but dismissed it quickly. "Anyway, now that you're awake, you hungry?"

The raven-haired female blinked, like the thought hadn't even occurred to her until then. "Actually-" her words were drowned out by the rather loud rumbling coming directly from her stomach.

"I think I'll take that as a 'yes'." Ichigo snickered. "You can go freshen up or whatever in the bathroom here," he pointed own the hall, to where the bathroom was located just before his bedroom, then turned back to watch TV. "We can eat afterwards."

Rukia directed a halfhearted glare at him for the teasing tone of his remark, but otherwise said nothing as she started past him and towards the hall, but then paused in her steps. She looked over her shoulder back at Ichigo, and he, seemingly sensing that she still hadn't left, spoke up without looking at her. "What is it?"

Rukia hesitated before answering. "You wouldn't happen to have an extra toothbrush, would you?"

Ichigo was taken by surprise. He hadn't thought things through that far, admittedly. Careful to keep his body half turned away from the woman that was waiting for an answer, he scratched at a nonexistent itch on his itch and looked up at the ceiling when he answered. "No. But…you could use mine."

His voice was practically a croak as he made the suggestion, and he could feel his ears growing hotter by the second. Though he could feel her penetrating gaze on him, he was resolute on looking anywhere but her.

"Huh?" came Rukia's blank response.

Ichigo felt his eyebrows pull close together and resisted the urge to growl. "You heard me, stupid. I said you can borrow my toothbrush. It's a one-time deal, so don't get used to it."

Ichigo hated so much as drinking from the same glass as someone else… Sharing a toothbrush would have been simply unthinkable -at least before then. He tried not to ponder it too much and was careful to keep his annoyed mask on. "Or would you rather go on all day with stinky breath?" he jeered, feeling a trace of his cockiness return.

Rukia flushed visibly. "Shut up!" she exclaimed, clearly embarrassed. Ichigo didn't have time to reply before she disappeared into the bathroom and slammed the door behind herself, leaving him laughing quietly to himself.

Indeed, it didn't happen often, but he so enjoyed having the upper hand.

-x-

"Pancakes?"

That was the first word out of Rukia's mouth after she exited the bathroom and went into the kitchen in search of the owner of the house.

She found him setting out plates with the golden-brown circles on the square dining table near the far corner of the area. Sunlight filtered in through the windows on the left wall, and along with the smell of pancakes it gave the scene a homey feeling. For a split second, Rukia envisioned almost vividly a pair of small children laughing as they ran onto the table and eagerly ate, while their father playfully reprimanded them for their rashness, then turned to look lovingly at the mother and said…

"Oi, idiot," Ichigo scowled. "You gonna stand there all day, or what?"

Shaking herself out of the unexpected daydream, she managed to narrow her eyes threateningly -or what she believed to be 'threatening'-. "I'm going at my own pace, don't rush me."

Ichigo, who had just taken his seat, raised a single eyebrow as he stared at her. "You slept the half the day away already, I'd figure you'd want to eat sometime before next week."

Rukia huffed haughtily and stuck her nose up in the air as she appeared reluctant when pulling back a chair and taking her seat at the table. She could feel Ichigo's eyes on her, but pretended to ignore him as she took the silverware he'd already set out and started on her breakfast/lunch.

The pancakes, she noted, were surprisingly good. A fluffy and buttery combination that she hadn't experienced in too long that all but made her moan with satisfaction. It was so good, in fact, that it wasn't until she reached the second bite that she noted the pancakes were actually rather cool… Like it had been left waiting too long.

Her eyes flew open at the realization and she immediately looked towards Ichigo. He was currently wearing a generic scowl as he dug into his own food, looking just a little too concentrated on his food.

He wouldn't have…waited for her to wake up before eating, would he?

"I'm shocked." Rukia spoke up, mimicking Ichigo in keeping her eyes glued to the plate now. "This food is actually edible. Where'd you buy it?"

She could almost hear his grip on the fork tightening in annoyance. "I cooked it myself, stupid. I've told you, I can cook." Behind his gruff voice, she could just make out the pleased tone underneath.

"I thought you said you were out of food?" she questioned, remembering the previous day's instant ramen remedy.

"I went out to the market this morning. While you were too busy snoring."

"I do not snore!" Rukia jumped immediately to the defense of her grace, pointing her fork warningly at the orange-haired man to her right.

"Ha!" Ichigo made a show of barking a laugh. "It sounded like a bear in there. For a while I was afraid one had snuck in and eaten you."

"Ah, but you were worried about me then?" Rukia tossed back at him slyly, quickly gaining the upper hand.

"T-that's not what I said!" Ichigo predictably stammered. "Don't twist my words!"

Before either of them knew it, they had slipped back into a comfortable routine of meaningless bickering. Petty as it was, Rukia couldn't deny the amount of enjoyment that she got out of their bouts. It seemed that, no matter how things changed, whether around them or between them, their small bouts would never disappear.

But things weren't the same.

Not since the previous night. It seemed they both were very aware of the fact by the time they had finished their breakfast, but instead of actually addressing the issue, the two slipped into a silence that was halfway between comfortable and awkward -however they managed that.

Rukia wasn't sure how much time had passed before they both spoke up at exactly the same time.

"Well, I-"

"I should-"

They both stopped abruptly and looked at each other in surprise. Rukia could just make out the slightest shade of pink settling over Ichigo's tan cheeks.

"I-" they spoke in unison yet again.

This time, Rukia held her tongue until she saw Ichigo make a gesture for her to continue. "I think I should be heading back. There's some work I should catch up on…"

"Yeah," Ichigo agreed quickly, and started to get to his feet. "Yeah, me same here."

Rukia did the same and started to gather her used plate and utensils. She reached for her emptied glass of orange juice, too focused on the glass itself to notice Ichigo doing the same until their hands accidentally bumped together; the feel of his calloused skin brushing against hers casually sent a small current up her hand and made her eyes snap up to his at the same time he looked down at her.

"I'm not sorry about last night." she blurted out all of a sudden, momentarily lost in his smoldering amber orbs and startling both herself and Ichigo in the process. But even as she said it, she realized the truth in her own words.

"I…" Ichigo seemed at a loss for words, though his gaze never wavered from hers.

Then he unexpectedly took a step forward around the table, making the distance between them close to nonexistent in that single stride. Rukia felt the tiniest of gasps escape her lips as she had to angle her head to be able to look up into his eyes. Before she could mutter anything else, she felt his rough yet gentle fingers cupping her chin and tilting her head ever so slightly.  
"Neither am I." Ichigo declared, confidence lacing his voice. His amber gaze slid from her eyes unto her lips, and Rukia felt herself swallowing as her eyes followed a similar path.

"What about our friends?" she asked, her voice oddly strangled. She was vaguely aware of the fact that at some point she had dropped the plate back unto the table and her hands had now placed themselves over the front of Ichigo's shirt, seemingly of their own accord.

"I honestly doubt they'll mind." Ichigo replied, inching closer as his eyelids lowered slowly over his darkening gaze and his free hand slid into place on her waist.

Rukia's eyes were almost entirely shut as she felt her heart rate increasing while the distance between her and Ichigo decreased. "Relationships aren't allowed at work." She found herself reminding him. The irony that it was her reminding him was not completely lost on them.

"What they don't know won't hurt them." was his simple reply, and it was all they needed.

At last, his lips found hers and Rukia lost herself in the rush of feelings elicited by the contact. Just as she began to deepen the kiss, however, Ichigo pulled back, to her great disappointment.

"One more thing," Ichigo said, opening his eyes to look at her seriously.

"What?" she demanded, allowing her discontent to show clearly in her voice.

"My father absolutely cannot find out about this."

* * *

**A/N: First of all, let me apologize for all those of you who saw the story alert notification and thought I had posted a new chapter...I didn't want to do this, but in the end, I had to. I wasn't satisfied with the last chapter, and my friend and excellent reviewer TruantPony also pointed out that it wasn't really some of my best work, so my decision to redo it was made. I wasn't originally planning to post it, but well...I'm proud of it, and also, I figured you all might want to know the reason for my tardiness in writing chapter 17. **

**Again, I'm sorry for the notification spam! Still, I hope you enjoyed this revised version. For those of you who preferred or just enjoyed the original version, you can PM me about it and I could send you a document with it here on ff.**

**And to those who reviewed the original chapter 16 haha: _1999, UPDATE _(as always, love your direct pen name xD) _, Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky, Dividing Line, love-mikan, thehgirl13, Poisonfish, TruantPony, Rukia Martinez, shnizlefritz, Mokimoki-chan, chineschopsticks, MN, Painted Flower, Mae Snapdragon, Alyssa, lizzyytx33, IchirukiLullaby, broken emerald, Kuroi-cho-tsuki-shiro, IchiRuki2.0, pamianime, allylalina, Fire331, OnepieceX3, Prizz, KitElizaKing _and _sweetieebunny_(you're the 400th reviewer yay! 400 reviews!*tear*)**

**Thank you, as always! 400 reviews is a personal record...And just in time for my birthday! Happy birthday to me! Hmm, I'm one year away from being 20...That's a slightly depressing thought. My teen years will officially be gone ._. **

**Okay, I've spammed you guys enough for one night/day XD Thank you for the support and encouragement, and just for reading my story! On that note, until next time! (Which I promise will be the real Chapter 17 XD)  
**


	17. Serendipity

_-October 31st, 2010-_

_Ichigo was scowling._

_Not that it was a rare occurrence, but on that particular day he could feel his eyebrows etched so tightly together it was almost uncomfortable. His arms were shoved tightly into the pockets of his jeans as he stood, seemingly invisible, against the wall. Around him, too many people for his taste were shuffling about in costumes ranging from the elaborate to the ridiculous, most of them carrying drinks that were most likely not child-friendly, and practically yelling in order to make themselves heard above the obnoxiously loud music. The people showed no concern or preference for personal space as they alternately shoved and grinded against each other; Ichigo an unfortunate casualty among the crowd despite his best efforts to fuse himself with the wall. _

_He hated parties. Four years of college life and all he'd learned about such activities was that it was always better to avoid them. Now, when he was supposed to be too old to be coaxed into attending them, there he found himself. _

'You've had a rough month',_ Rangiku had said._

'You should have fun once in a while!' _Orihime had said._

'That constipated look on your face is going to become permanent at this rate.' _Ishida had not-so-helpfully observed._

'It is for your own good.' _Chad had spoken._

_It was the latter that convinced him. His almost seven-foot-tall friend was not one to waste words, and when he expressed his opinion, Ichigo had decided that he should concede to his friends' concern for once._

_Of course, at the time, he had assumed they were inviting him to go along to said party as a group; he hadn't counted on each of them bailing out at the last moment. Ishida claimed he had to work late, and Orihime decided that she would accompany him. Meanwhile Chad didn't bother to show up at all without so much as an explanation; when Ichigo called his friend to rant about the betrayal, Chad had replied with a clueless: _'Sorry, didn't know I was supposed to go.'

_So there was Ichigo, manipulated and then ditched by his ever-charming friends. Why did he put up with them?_

"_Because you love us?" _

_Ichigo jumped as a female voice answered the question he had unconsciously voiced. "Rangiku!" He exclaimed her name, glaring at her for catching him off guard. _

_The buxom blonde was the only one who actually showed up at the party, if only for the reason that she was the one throwing it in the first place. But being the hostess didn't exactly mean much in Rangiku's case. Put her in a room full of lust-driven men and alcohol, and you might as well accept that she's lost. In fact, at the moment she seemed to be attached to some baboon-faced delinquent with the most shocking, gravity-defying hair Ichigo had ever seen -which was saying a lot considering his own hair-, and an array of excessive tattoos swirling over all segments of his exposed skin. The guy didn't even seem to notice Ichigo as his attention was lost on the nearly uncovered chest of the hostess. _

_Ichigo scoffed. "Don't be so sure." he retorted to her earlier remark. "Surprised to see you still on your feet." He commented, half sarcastic, half honest. _

_Rangiku giggled loudly, signaling that it probably wouldn't be for long. "I'm disappointed to see _you_ on your feet. You should be getting wasted off your senses now, or at least pretending to have fun. There's plenty of single, willing ladies here." The scantily clad blonde said with a suggestive wink. "Some just willing."_

_He didn't even bother looking around the room to assess these 'willing ladies'; most consisted of Rangiku look-alikes, each one wearing nearly identical costumes- half-naked nurse, half-naked princess, half-naked angel, half-naked devil, half-naked animal… among others; and most looking more than a little intoxicated at the moment. Ichigo was less than thrilled by the prospects. _

_Rangiku herself, dressed as a half-naked witch, seemed to read something in his expression that gave his line of thinking away because she suddenly snorted a laugh and said, "Right, I forgot you were such a prude. Really, for someone as fine-looking as yourselves, I wouldn't be surprised if you were still a virgin."_

_He felt his ears burn with embarrassment and he opened his mouth to chew out the woman before her attention was taken away by the red-headed guy, who seemed finally to have finally grown bored of his 'view'. _

"_Hey, are we going to head to the restrooms or not? I left a friend waiting for me, she'll be pretty pissed by now that I disappeared." said, the tattooed- pirate captain?_

"_Oh- right." Rangiku seemed to be reminded of the reason she had a guy latching onto her at the moment. "Let's get going then!" she turned to look at Ichigo before heading off through the crowd, presumably to find the ladies room, "Later, Ichigo! Try to have at least a little fun." With that, she was gone._

_And Ichigo was left in a mood more sour than before. "Prude…" he muttered bitterly. "Like hell I am." he went on, not sure for who's benefit. "I am not a virgin!" He suddenly declared, a little too loudly because just then, a girl dressed as a half-naked butterfly turned to him and giggled before raising her eyebrows in a suggestive manner that made him shudder._

_Thoroughly annoyed and with his pride recently wounded, he decided that maybe it was time for a little bathroom break of his own- albeit not one of the same kind that Rangiku was taking. Using his fair height and his generally intimidating expression to cut through the crowd of drunken dancers, Ichigo started in the direction where he'd seen Rangiku and her latest victim heading to. _

_The place Rangiku had rented out wasn't that huge, but it was still big enough for the more-than-decent turn-out she had, and the tightly-packed crowd didn't make it very easy to navigate. Ichigo was relieved when, after what felt like an endless, fruitless search, he finally spotted a promising door. Without stopping to knock, he opened it and rushed inside to close it behind them, being granted the first moment of blessed solitude and relative quiet since he had arrived at the damned party._

_It took him a moment to realize that the room he was in was in fact _not_ a restroom. Judging by the contents of the cramped little area, it was some sort of a supply closet. _

_Thinking that a closet of any kind was not his first choice spot to hang out in, he still decided that it was preferable to the jumble of people outside. He sighed as he scanned the small area, before moving towards the back wall in resignation and settling down with his back against it. _

_It only took him a couple of minutes to find himself relaxing and leaning his head against the wall, letting his eyes close as he pondered his options: stay in the random closet for a little longer, or exit to make an escape from the dreaded party. He reasoned that any sane person would obviously choose the latter, but he hesitated. Deep down, he knew there was a reason he'd accepted the invitation in the first place; he didn't _want_ to go home. _

_The realization hit him with a wave of shame; the feeling that, despite all his bravado, in the end he was more affected by his recent -fruitless- goose chase than he was willing to let on- even to himself. He almost felt like laughing at himself. He wasn't as invincible as he liked to think, apparently. _

_So it was that, in a moment of embracing his own weakness, Ichigo decided he'd stay hidden away for just a little bit longer. Hiding from a rowdy party; hiding from his own, bitter life… He wasn't sure which, but it didn't matter. If only for a few hours, he would just close his eyes and…_

"_Oi!" The person who had just slipped inside the closet tensed, suddenly aware of his presence. "Get your own closet!"_

"_Sorry," a deep female voice, slightly muffled by a cheap plastic hockey mask spoke. "I didn't know this was occupied-" she said as she started to open the door, preparing herself to leave before suddenly shutting it again and turning back towards him. _

"_What's the deal-" Ichigo started to complain, frowning at the unwelcome interruption on that solitary time of peace away from reality he had just obtained._

"_Can I stay here a minute?" the girl asked, her voice carrying just the slightest amount of desperation. _

_Ichigo was not impressed. "Look, if you want to get wasted or stoned in private, do it somewhere else. I'd like to be left in peace for a moment, okay?"_

"_I don't want to get stoned or anything like that!" she retorted in an insulted manner, the slight meekness that she'd shown before miraculously vanished. "I just want to escape the party for a few minutes, just like you."_

…_Well, he hadn't expected that. Probably out of all the reasons he would have thought to come up with for why this girl would be sneaking into a closet in the middle of an insane party, the last would have been to assume that it was for the exact same reason as himself._

_That was probably due to the fact that he hadn't known many people who would ever choose to do such a thing in the first place, but hey, he'd been wrong before (despite his best efforts at proving otherwise). Finally, he shrugged. "Go ahead, then."_

_She nodded and didn't waste another second before flopping down on the spot, leaning against the door in the same manner as himself. Ichigo watched her curiously for a moment, before realizing what it was about her that seemed out of place- other than the fact that she was in a supply closet in the middle of a party, of course. _

_The girl wasn't half naked. In fact, with her dark jeans, long-sleeved black sweater, and the toy hockey mask she wore, the only visible skin was that of her hands and a glimpse of her neck. Her midnight-colored her only served to further complete her attire, seemingly meant to camouflage her in the night. He imagined her outside with the hordes of Rangiku look-a-likes and couldn't decide if she would have been entirely invisible or would have stuck out like a sore thumb. Even more curious: which one had she intended?_

_The questions hovered on the tip of his tongue, but before he could give voice to them, the girl removed the mask from her face and exhaled in apparent relief before she started fanning herself with her hand. Ichigo blinked as he saw her face for the first time. She was… not outwardly unpleasant. He didn't allow himself to pay any more focus to that particular aspect of his unexpected companion and fixed his face back into something closer to his casually bored expression, except for a slightly quirked eyebrow to betray his mild curiosity._

"_Hockey mask killer?" he spoke up, calling back her attention to himself. "Original."_

"_And what are _you_ supposed to be?" she questioned sharply, clearly not appreciating the sarcasm in his voice. _

_He answered without missing a beat. "I'm a mysterious stranger." His own created name for his so-called costume, which consisted of a plain black mask that ended at the bridge of his nose, was as much of a half-assed effort as the costume itself. _

_The girl snorted. "More like too-lazy-to-get-an-actual-costume."_

"_Guilty." he said, feeling his lips quirk up in amusement at getting caught by the still nameless girl._

"_So, Mysterious Stranger," she said, taking it upon herself to solve the issue of names without bothering to ask him for one. "What does the orange hair entail?"_

_He raised a hand up into his disarrayed hair in a knee-jerk reaction. "Oh this? This is natural."_

"_You can't expect me to believe that."_

"_Believe what you want." he shrugged, more than used to people's skeptic reactions when it came to his brightly colored hair. Unlike most people though, the girl didn't fight him anymore on it than that, and looked almost like she was actually accepting the fact. It was refreshing not to be accused of being a wanna-be punk because of his hair, for once._

_They lapsed into a few minutes of silence after that, before Ichigo decided that he hadn't had enough of the conversation._

"_So how'd you end up here?" _

"_I'm hiding from the party." she told him for the second time, shifting to bend her knees and wrap her arms around her legs as she looked back at him with large, unusually colored eyes._

"_I'd figured that out on my own." he said flatly. "I meant, how'd you end up in the party in the first place?"_

"_I got dragged here by a so-called friend." she answered with no small amount of annoyance coloring her voice. _

_He felt himself nodding, understanding her feelings all too well. "Same. I can relate."_

_She smiled then, the action seeming to subtly alter every feature on her face, melting away the rough-esque mask she'd worn and making her glow in a way that just seemed to radiate warmth. _

"_Great." she said through her smile. "Misery loves company." _

_Ichigo couldn't really stop the grin that made its way unto his face then, especially when the raven-haired girl widened her own smile to match his. Maybe it was because he felt a connection to her because of their similar -if not identical- circumstances, or maybe it was because he was still trying to escape his own reality for a little while and talking to this girl somehow made that much easier… He wasn't sure why, but for the first time in a long time he felt entirely at ease with someone else. So he talked._

_They fell into an easy conversation that gave him the feeling of reunited with an old friend. They bantered back and forth, and talked without that usual awkward feeling that usually strained the air between two people who had just met. It was like they had simply skipped over those awkward stages._

_Ichigo actually found disappointment when he noticed a change in the atmosphere, and quickly realized what the difference was. _

"_Does it sound quieter to you outside?" he asked suddenly, moving his gaze to the closed door before them- the girl had found her way to his side at some point, and now sat with such proximity that their arms brushed together; something that oddly enough did not bother him at all. _

"_Hm?" she seemed confused by his sudden change of subject._

"_I think the music is lowering…" he noted._

"_Do you think the party is over?" she asked, and Ichigo was suddenly aware of what a definite answer would mean._

"…_Maybe…" he said instead. "I think we should wait it out a little longer just to be sure."_

_The girl's expression turned wary for a moment as she looked at him, like she was trying to see something past his words… But after a moment just gave in. "Okay."_

_That was enough mutual agreement for them to pick up right back where they left off, but Ichigo knew that they couldn't put off the inevitable forever. Eventually, the lack of music or any noise in general from the other side of the door became too apparent to be ignored._

"_I think we should probably leave before someone finds us in here and thinks we were smoking or something."_

_Ichigo felt his eyes snap to hers, then towards the still closed door, then back to her. "Yeah, I think you're right." he said, though he made no move to so much as stand._

Not yet…_ he thought; he didn't want to go back yet. He felt like he could see a similar line of thought in the depth of her eyes, which, upon a closer look, he was startled to find were actually a violet color. _

_He held her eyes, feeling the urge to pull the girl even closer like a gravitational pool._

"_I better go. My friend will be looking for me by now…" And she broke the contact with that, leaving him with the feeling of having something dangled in front of you only to have it pulled away before you could take it._

"…_Right." his voice came out unexpectedly choked, his disappointed now very evident._

_Trying to push back that feeling, he forced himself to his feet, almost automatically reaching a hand down to help the girl to her feet… When he felt her small, cool hand settle into his larger one, like the piece of a puzzle sliding into place, he didn't know if he regretted his polite act or was very glad for it. _

_The feeling of her smooth skin on his calloused palm was something that sent a jolt of electricity through his skin. Closing his hand around hers had felt so natural that he almost wasn't conscious of his action. _

_Once she was on her feet as well, Ichigo was surprised and somewhat pleased to see that she only came up to his chest -barely-; like she would fit perfectly against his body for him to rest his chin over her head if he pulled her into an embrace. He didn't do that, however- pull her into his arms. But he didn't let go of her hand._

_And before he'd had time to stop it from happening again, their gazes were locked together again, his pulse suddenly quickening significantly as he became very much aware of how close she was. It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling though, like he would normally feel when a woman got too close; it was the opposite. It was the fact that all reason and logic, all the fiber of his being and gut instinct told him that he should erase that remaining distance._

_Ichigo was typically described as a rash, impulsive man. He tended to go with what he felt._

_Which is probably why, he would reason later, he threw all his carefully built walls and facades into the wind and just went with his gut. _

_Her lips were so tantalizingly soft as she'd pressed them gently against his. He thought he could feel his stomach dissolve into fluttering particles -because he would never feel something as unmasculine as _butterflies-_ as the contact was made._

_Then her hand had found itself around his neck and she was suddenly pressed entirely against him, Ichigo reaching the hand that wasn't occupied still holding hers to take a firm hold of her slender waist as he felt her parting her lips against his, deepening the kiss with slow and deliberate movements that seemed to understand his every desire. The sensation of kissing her left Ichigo weak at the knees, and yet somehow stronger as well; the taste of her was excitingly new and still naturally welcoming to him. He thought he'd never felt such a rush of different feelings all at one, but above all was the unconstrained warm joy that he felt as he moved in perfect sync with her._

_He didn't notice when her hands ended up entwined around his neck, or when both his hands settled on her waist to hold her securely against himself, but that was how they stood when the need for oxygen finally made itself known and they pulled back from the kiss, their eyes opening accordingly and boring into each other._

_Feeling like time had slowed, Ichigo watched as the woman slid her arm from around his neck and reached up to touch his face; her fingertips left a trail of tickling warmth as they made their way upwards, the sensation enough to make him close his eyes. She didn't say anything as, with meticulously slow movements, she took his mask and lifted it away from his face._

_He opened his eyes then, feeling strangely naked as his face was completely exposed to her for the first time. Her eyes seemed to be drinking him in, but there was no judgment or appraisal in her gaze. He felt his lips parting in expectation, eager to meet hers now._

_To his utter disappointment, however, she pulled back. "I have to leave."_

_He wanted to protest, but instead allowed her to gently push his hands away from her, nodding once. "I understand." he told her; and he did. In fact, he should be thankful that she had managed to stop things from going too far. Still, it didn't feel like anything he wanted to celebrate. "Will you tell me your name?" He asked, fighting to keep a note of hopefulness from entering his voice._

_She shook her head, her violet eyes regretful. "I think it would be better if I didn't."_

_He found himself grinning at that. "I guess you're right." he admitted out loud. _'This was never supposed to be for me…'

_It was another moment longer before the still nameless, violet-eyed woman offered up the black mask still in her grasp. "Here, this is yo-"_

"_Keep it." he cut her off, closing her fingers around the object for emphasis._

"_But-"_

"_I don't need it." he said with a smile. He _didn't_ need it. Ichigo had worn the mask for one night and had pretended… To be someone else? Or perhaps just to live someone else's life… It didn't matter. Come tomorrow, he would be himself again, and that mask meaningless. _

_As he allowed his hands to slide off hers, he gave her another smile; at least someone could keep the memories of his night's pretending. For some reason, he was glad it was her._

"_I'll see you around." she said behind him just when he'd reached the door to exit, and her words carried an implication that made him feel both nervous and hopeful._

_Perhaps… _

_Halfway out the door already, Ichigo turned his head to steal one last glance at the woman before leaving. _

"…_Maybe…"_

_Or at least, he thought- _

-x-

"_Ichigo_!"

Reality came crashing down on him, in the form of a rather thick volume of the works of William Shakespeare. If he was going to have a book-related concussion, it might as well be from a literary masterpiece, right?

"The _hell?" _he grabbed the book-turned-weapon and did a quick examination to check that it hadn't suffered any severe damage from landing against his head, and came to the conclusion that his cranium had indeed taken the worst of the blow. "What do you think you're doing, you pint-sized little devil?"

Rukia's violet gaze flared. "Waking you from a coma, apparently!" she barked at him from the opposite end of the couch they were sharing. "We're going to be late for work."

"Wha-" he blinked, taking a moment to process his situation; he was in his living room, with Rukia, dressed in his nightclothes, and judging by the clear light filtering into the area, it was morning.

What day was it again…?

"Shit!" Ichigo scrambled to get off the couch, the images that had been filling his head before being forced into consciousness being entirely forgotten as he stressfully sped back to his room in hopes of somehow making it through at least half of his morning routine and be able to make it to work on time.

Rukia was left standing in the middle of the living room with her arms folded over her chest, shaking her head as she muttered, "Idiot."

A record less than ten minutes later Ichigo returned to the living room mildly refreshed and half dressed, with a piece of dry toast dangling from his mouth as he worked on buttoning his light blue shirt. The petite raven-head took the sight in with a single quirked eyebrow, whistling appreciatively as he came to sit beside her.

"That was quick." she noted casually.

Ichigo, noticing that she was already dressed and seemingly ready to go narrowed his eyes at her. Once his hands were free, he removed the bread from his mouth and gulped down a bite. "You look like you've been ready for a while. Any particular reason why you didn't wake me earlier?" he asked in a tight voice, his eye twitching in annoyance.

"Personal enjoyment?" she offered in response, to which he corresponded with a heavier glare. Unperturbed, Rukia smirked tauntingly before letting her expression soften slightly and saying, "You didn't get a lot of sleep last night."

"Ah-" So she knew about that? But… "How'd you know?"

"I'm a light sleeper, stupid."

He couldn't help but scoff at that; he'd had more than one experience to prove otherwise. Rukia ignored him and added, "I heard you."

Oh.

In what felt like an action as common as breathing whenever he was around her, Ichigo reached up to scratch behind his head. His eyes strayed over to that Shakespeare volume that was at that point laying on the coffee table, and he fought back a smile as he remembered the previous night. Rukia wasn't a big fan of the classics, and he had taken it upon himself to prove her wrong when she claimed it was all just 'a bunch of stiff and boring excess of fancy words', in her own words. So they'd taken their place on the couch, and he'd started reading some of his favorite passages. At one point or another, he wasn't sure when and didn't particularly care for such details, his arm had ended up around Rukia and she had leaned against him as he read out loud. His original plan didn't prove to be very effective, as at one point he'd looked down only to find that the person he'd been trying to impress was in fact fast asleep on his chest. Upon realizing that, instead of admitting defeat he simply held her as he went on reading until sleep claimed him as well.

"You should thank me, then." Ichigo said, before all but shoving the last of his hasty breakfast into his mouth, swallowing heavily before going on. "Thanks to me you are now a more literate person."

She gave him a skeptical look. "The only thing I have you to thank for is a rather disturbing dream sequence of men dressed up in tights and committing suicide for each other."

His insulted retort to that fell short on his lips as her words jolted his mind back to the memory of his own dream.

_That's right,_ he thought. _I dreamt of that day…_

"H-Hey…" Rukia looked at him warily. "What are you making that weird face for?"

"What weird face?" Ichigo instantly replied, only then noticing that he had been smiling to himself. He attempted to compensate by making his scowl extra pronounced now.

"The one with the perverted grin." she declared, causing his eyes to widen as he shot up from his seat in shock.

"_Perverted?"_ he repeated, thinking that a little overreaction was more than warranted when she described him in a way that he usually described his father; it was below the belt. "I wasn't thinking of anything like that!"

"What _were_ you thinking, then?" she challenged.

He paused, his first instinct being to make a snappy remark but deciding against it. After a moment of hesitation, he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees and look up at Rukia almost shyly. "You remember the day we met?"

Surprise masked her face for a moment before she let out a laugh. "How could I forget?" she gave him a sly smile. "You took advantage of me after just meeting me."

"_Wha-?" _he all but screeched. "Why you little…" He growled, but relaxed as he caught on to her joking mood. A few beats of silence passed before he reclaimed his previous train of thought. "You know, people call that kind of thing serendipity."

Beside him, Rukia regarded him with a look that was a mixture of surprise and amusement. "How poetic of you."

"Shut up." came his immediate response. "You're such a-" the rest of his less-than-polite response was cut off as a pair of impossibly delicate lips pressed into his without warning.

His train of thought was lost as his eyes shut of their own accord and his hand came up to hold the side of Rukia's face as their mouths molded together for the first time that morning. The kiss was short but lingering, and Ichigo could feel his pulse quicken as he once again opened his eyes and was met with a pair of twinkling violet orbs.

"We're going to be late." she reminded him, effectively ending the moment.

Ichigo's stream of curses was all that was heard as the two made a frenzied beeline out of the house.

-x-

The last week had gone by in a seeming daze for Rukia. Ever since that new year's day she had found herself spending a large chunk of her time in the company of a certain orange-haired coworker; of course, referring to him as a 'coworker' was quite the understatement at that point. Whether it was simply going out to dinner or spending the evening at his house, that plus the added time that they spent in their vicinity at work; Ichigo a big part of her days. And if she was being honest with herself, she couldn't complain.

It was like their relationship hadn't changed at all, and yet it had. Sure, they had moved to a stage where mutual romantic feelings were expressed -and by expressed, it really meant acted upon, since neither of the parties involved was particularly keen on discussing their feelings verbally; which actually worked out rather conveniently- but he was still the same Ichigo, and she was still Rukia. She was still as comfortable simply being with him as she was trading insults with him… For that, she was grateful.

"Is she daydreaming again?" a female voice cut into her own inner musings.

"Eh?" Rukia whirled in her chair to face the busty blonde woman who seemed to always have too much spare time on her hands.

"Is she?" Popped up a familiar head of dark spiky hair from her next-door cubicle.

"What are you two talking about?" Rukia looked from Kaien to Rangiku, her annoyance ill-concealed.

"You, obviously." answered Rangiku, her blue eyes glinting almost deviously. "You've been living on Cloud Nine since last week."

"_What?" _she immediately showed her undignified response.

"So I'm not the only one who noticed." Kaien said pensively. "I'd been wondering what's gotten into her."

Rangiku's lips curled into a _definitely_ devious smile. "I bet I have an idea of what's been getting into her." She raised her eyebrows as she looked at Rukia.

It took the raven-haired woman a few moments longer than it should have to catch the insinuation, and promptly flush up to her ears. "_Rangiku! _T-that's-!"

"Relax, relax." The blonde waved her arms in what was supposed to be a calming gesture. "We're all friends here, no need for secrets."

Rukia felt her eyes widen despite her efforts to maintain a neutral expression. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Rangiku answered with a dramatic roll of her eyes that was mirrored almost identically by Kaien.

"Your nose is looking pretty big there, Pinocchio." he teased.

Rukia had to resist the urge to reach up and cover her nose self-consciously. "Seriously, you two are acting stranger than usual. Which is saying a lot."

"Stop playing dumb, Rukia." Rangiku said simply. "I'm a reporter, it's my job to know these things."

She wanted to remind her that her job was not actually harassing her coworkers, but people _out there_, but decided against it, in favor of concentrating on saving her own image from whatever her nosey friends were speculating. "I think it's part of your job description that you're _not_ supposed to fabricate a story."

"There's nothing fabricated about the goofy look of happiness that you've had on your face lately." she countered. Kaien nodded his agreement.

"What exactly are you insinuating?" Rukia finally decided on a more direct approach.

"You really have to ask?" Rangiku blinked, looking genuinely surprised for an instant. When Rukia didn't say anything, the blonde sighed, resting a hand on her hip and pouting in what could have been mistaken for a pose for a picture. "Here's a hint: there's one other normally grumpy guy that's been looking pretty happy-go-lucky these days."

_Shit. _

"Huh?" _Play dumb,_ she told herself. _Just play dumb. _"I don't know what you're getting at."

"_Ruuuukia,"_ the elder female dragged out her name in dramatic exasperation. "You really don't need to hide it, it was only a matter of time for you and Ichigo."

At the explicit mention of his name, Rukia felt her ears go hot. "_Rangiku," _she all but hissed in a tone that undoubtedly held a warning.

"Didn't I tell you to relax?" The woman responded, unfazed.

"You're going to pop an artery looking so tense." Kaien pitched in, earning himself a quick glare.

"We're not idiots." Rangiku said, then, with a glance towards their male friend she added, "At least I'm not."

"Hey!"

"We're not going to tattle." went on the blonde looking at Rukia, completely ignoring Kaien's protests. "No one but us will know."

Rukia wanted to argue, to keep denying and lying her brains out… But she could recognize a lost battle when she saw one. In a rare display, she let her shoulders sag slightly as she admitted defeat for once. She took a deep, steadying breath before eventually asking, "How?"

_How did you know?_

Rangiku's smile softened somewhat at that. "Let's just say, I recognized the look."

Somewhat unsatisfied with the answer, Rukia turned to Kaien, only to see him wearing a rare solemn smile not unlike Rangiku's; he nodded to her unspoken question. "It's obvious to anyone

who knows what it's like to be in love."

At those particular words, Rukia felt a jolt through her body.

…_Love?_

-x-

Ichigo tore his eyes away from the road to sneak a glance at his passenger, who had barely spoken a word since they'd gotten in the car.

"Rukia…" he started tentatively, still watching from his peripheral vision as he drove. "You okay?"

The woman turned to him with a dumbfounded look. "Why do you ask?"

He felt his eyebrows creasing and he kept his narrowed gaze on the road. "You've barely said a word since we left. You look pretty distracted." He noted.

He could just notice Rukia biting her lip and shrinking slightly into her seat. "Well…" she hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether or not to tell him what was on her mind, he guessed. "It's something Kaien and Rangiku said today."

Not exactly what he'd expected, but he could deal with that. "What did they-"

"They know." she answered before he could finish. "About us."

The car nearly screeched to a halt, provoking a loud concert of honks and angry yells from the traffic behind them before Ichigo regained some control over his driving.

"They _what?" _he shrieked. "How the hell did they find out? Did you-"

"Of course I didn't tell them, idiot!" she barked. "They figured it out on their own."

"But, we were so careful!" Ichigo was trying to keep from panicking. "_I _was so careful!"

"What are you insinuating?" Rukia's eyebrow twitched.

"Damn it!" he finally cursed. "Why are you so calm about this?" Hadn't she figured it out? If Kaien and Rangiku could figure out what was going on, it was only one step further for someone like _Aizen_ to notice. And yet she'd merely looked distraught over the fact! "How did they figure it out?" He finally settled for asking.

Rukia inhaled a sudden breath, her eyes becoming slightly unfocused like before. "They…"

Though he was still forcing his gaze forward, he could see from the corner of his eye how she turned her head to look out the window before she spoke.

"You can calm down." she unexpectedly said at last. "I doubt Aizen will have any way to know."

So she _did_ know their predicament. But… "Why not? If they could, then-"

"Trust me," she interrupted. "We're safe."

Ichigo wanted to protest, wanted to point out all the reasons why she could be wrong, but in just one moment he let his gaze wander to hers and he saw a reassurance in his eyes that he couldn't argue with. He felt his hands relax on the steering wheel as he, reluctantly, decided not to push it any further. "Want to grab a quick bite before we head home?"

He saw her smile and relax in response. "Sure."

They ended up at Urahara's.

It would never be their first choice for any occasion, but it was still the closest place to Rukia's apartment and she'd insisted they stop there first so she could at least grab a change of clothes before heading back to his place. Normally she'd take care of those details in the morning, but seeing as that day they'd slept late and barely made it to work on time in his car, dropping her off at her house so they could arrive at Seretei separately as they had done the previous days had been out of the question.

Of course, it was only a matter of time before they both started regretting that decision… And by 'time', they would mean from the moment they walked through the door.

"Ruuukiaaaaahh!" The overly-chipper blond owner of the establishment sang as soon as he spotted the pair. "And Ichigo! My, what a surprise!" He was at their side in an instant. "What brings you back to my humble little restaurant?"

"Surprising lack of common sense." Ichigo muttered, loud enough to be heard, however much the other man pretended not to have heard.

"Just give us a table, Urahara." Rukia cut in with her business-like voice.

"Ah, so cold Rukia…" the man lamented. "That brother of yours may be rubbing off on you."

"_Urahara…"_

"Right, right." he smiled appealingly. "You may seat wherever you like." He said, lifting his striped hat in a gesture of respect before stepping back to allow them to walk past him.

"I'm surrounded by insane people." Ichigo declared once they had slid into a booth.

"I resent that." Rukia commented.

"Some are slightly more tolerable than others." he said back teasingly.

Rukia responded with a smirk that he copied soon after. He really did marvel at their relationship… Just when did it all become so easy?

"Damn I hope you're not hungry, with the damn prices here you're going to have to settle for the kids menu." he paused in the process of scowling at the menu to look up at the woman across him. "Actually, that's kind of appropriate."

Ichigo learned one lesson that day: mocking Rukia while his shins were oh so susceptible to her surprisingly strong feet in the conveniently hidden area under a table was a bad idea.

-x-

They opted to walk back to Rukia's apartment. She'd swore all she'd be bringing back was a small bag with a change of clothes, so it was nothing they couldn't carry back to the car. Ichigo already knew the way well enough to know at which building to stop, but was surprised when Rukia paused on the steps of it to look back at him expectantly.

"You don't have to stay out in the cold, you know." she said with a smirk, but Ichigo recognized the invitation. He merely grunted in response, but followed after her nonetheless.

Once they'd entered the building through the set of glass doors, they crossed the lobby straight towards the elevators. While they waited, Ichigo let his eyes stray around the area; it wasn't very large, but there was a vending machine, a small round table with folding chairs around it, and some scattered old magazines laying over it. To his right he saw the doorman sitting behind his desk, feet propped up on the chipped wood and head thrown lazily over the back of his chair as he slumbered away.

Ichigo looked at the sleeping man with a blank face. "Is he supposed to be…?"

Following his line of sight, Rukia gave him a quick shrug. "That's just Stark. The only time I see him awake is when his niece comes down. The girl is pretty loud too, so she kind of makes sure the entire building is awake when she's in a mood."

"Sounds… Really annoying." Ichigo said, thinking of how irritating his own loud father could be.

Rukia grinned. "You get used to it. I got used to you, after all."

He didn't get to shoot back his own retort as the elevator doors chose that moment to open and the two wasted no time going inside. Rukia pressed the button for the third floor and they rode quietly the rest of the way. When the doors opened, he followed her down a short narrow hallway of identical white doors -aside from the rising numbers-, until she stopped near the end before the one marked '342'.

"Here we are." Rukia said as she swung the door open and motioned for him to go inside.

It was really… plain.

White and pale cream walls, only one or two simple paintings decorating them; white cabinets in the small kitchen on the left; a glass dining table bare except for a single placemat, and chairs with white cushions around it; there was a futon further along on the small area of the living room, facing what looked like an out-of-time TV set… All in all, it was remarkably unremarkable.

Ichigo frowned as he tried to connect the vision before him to _Rukia,_ but failed to see any similarity to her. Rukia was…

"Help yourself to a drink or snack if you want, I'm going to take a quick shower." she looked at him and, presumably misreading his expression, she added, "Won't be long, I swear."

"You live here?" Ichigo wound up blurting out.

Rukia blinked. "We're not breaking and entering, I do actually live here." she said flatly, somewhat confused by his question.

Realizing how he must sound, Ichigo scratched behind his head and uttered a quick apology. "Sorry, it's just that… This doesn't suit you at all."

"Huh?"

He shrugged. "It's nothing particular, it's just not how I imagined it would be."

"So you'd imagined the place where I live?" She couldn't resist the teasing comments.

"No!" came his rash denial, probably only serving to spur her on.

She laughed him off though. "It's not my dream house, exactly. But it's what I could get with what I saved up in college. I don't really need much more than a place to sleep."

It took him a few seconds before something occurred to him. "I'm surprised Byakuya hasn't moved you to some fancy penthouse."

Rukia looked down at her shoes. "Well, this wasn't really his idea. But he paid for my studies, and he's done so much for me already… I refused to let him do more."

Ichigo stared at her, but found that he wasn't really that surprised. Of course Rukia would be too proud to accept charity, even from her family. He'd tease her for it but a little voice inside him reminded him that he was exactly the same way.

"Hn." was what he settled for responding. "Just hurry up with that shower… You could just do that back at my house, you know."

"I'm already here, and I want to get the office smell off me. A couple of minutes won't kill you."

He rolled his eyes, letting the battle that he knew he would lose anyway go and heading over to flop down on the futon. "You can be such a _girl_ sometimes."

He really should have seen that blow coming… But he wouldn't have expected it to come in the form of a shoe this time; she was getting creative.

-x-

'A couple of minutes' turned out to be nearly half an hour… Which he suspected was for no reason other than to annoy him.

During that time, Ichigo had tried and given up on finding something good to watch TV, and was trying not to drift off sprawled across the futon as he was. It was the feeling of having a bag of clothes dropped on his chest that brought him back into a more alert state, and his eyes soon met those of a satisfied-looking Rukia.

"I'm ready to go now." The smugness in her tone left him no doubt that yes, she had definitely taken longer for the sole purpose of messing with him.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance as he straightened into a sitting position and let the bag fall in his hands. "Right away, boss." he muttered sarcastically, only succeeding in making Rukia's visible satisfaction increase. "Actually, you know what? I don't feel like going anymore." He grinned inwardly as he saw the smug look on her face morph into surprise. He put on an especially childish scowl that looked almost like a pout… If Ichigo Kurosaki did such a thing as _pouting,_ which he didn't.

Rukia was silent for a long moment, sensing his game, before shrugging. "Suit yourself. I'm out of here."

Before she could get more than two steps away though, she found herself yanked back by the wrist. This time Ichigo's grin appeared on the surface as he pulled Rukia back to fall back on the futon, conveniently landing right between his legs. "I don't think so. It's about time I get some power in this relationship." he spoke over her head, his arms coming around to form a cage around her.

She scoffed. "A little late for that, don't you think?"

"So annoying…" Ichigo complained into her ear, his warm breath causing her to pause in her struggling. She stopped completely when he lowered his lips to press against the exposed flesh over her collarbone.

Instead of fighting back for once, Rukia allowed herself to melt into him, tilting her head slightly to allow him access to her neck. He kissed the smooth ivory flesh before allowing his tongue to slip out and taste the tender flesh. Rukia's quick intake of breath told him all he needed to know about how she felt.

"Ichigo…" she near whispered his name, the sound sending a thrill through him and urging him on.

He nuzzled her neck for a moment before moving his mouth upwards, stopping to brush his lips along her jaw before moving further up to press a lingering kiss on her temple. All the while, Rukia's hands had settled themselves over the his own, only managing to cover a portion of his significantly larger ones. As Ichigo started to slowly pull away, she turned to look up at him with half-lidded, clouded eyes. He didn't have enough time to decipher the emotions swirling on the indigo orbs when he felt one of her hands come up to the back of his head and pull him down to meet a pair of eager lips. The kiss was slow but it made him feel like fire was running through his veins down to every part of his body, until he was sure she could feel his want for her in their delicate position.

Just as the kiss began to deepen, Rukia pulled back. Ichigo's eyes flew open and he was stopped short by the look she was giving him. He'd never seen her expression so utterly soft and vulnerable. But her eyes… Her eyes were-

"Ichigo," she repeated his name, more firmly now. "I-"

The shrill sound of a cell phone ringing interrupted her.

"Don't-" Ichigo started to say, but she was already disentangling herself from his arms and taking the device out of her jeans pocket to take the call. He cursed under his breath as he tried to get his pulse back under control, his eyebrows etching close together with obvious frustration at the interruption.

Rukia had disappeared into her bedroom and he couldn't make out a word she was saying, so he settled for sulking by himself while wondering what the hell could be so damn important that she couldn't just let it go to voicemail. He was about to ask exactly that as the petite woman emerged from her room, cell phone still in hand and wearing an expression he couldn't quite decipher.

"That was my brother." she beat him to the punch.

"He had to choose _now_ to be a doting sibling?" He made it a point not to disguise his annoyance.

Rukia began chewing at her lip again- a nervous habit that he'd only started seeing a lot pretty recently.

"He called for something important," she explained. "A favor _I _asked him."

He was getting a weird vibe, his gut telling him there was something he was missing. "What kind of favor, exactly?"

She seemed to struggle for a moment before forcing herself to meet his eyes.

"We've got a lead on Aizen."

* * *

**A/N: ...That awkward moment when you haven't updated for an entire semester... Hehe, on the upside, I'm not dead and I haven't given up on this story :D**

**Okay, this is the part where I say that I am deeply and genuinely sorry that it took me so long to update. It's not that I didn't have time, exactly, I just didn't have the time that I would have -liked- to dedicate to this story. And the last chapter that I forced myself to update in a rush resulted in me rewriting and re-updating the whole chapter, so I decided to just wait until I had time to do this the way I wanted to. Yes, I'm an ass for just dropping off the radar like that, you can be as annoyed with me as you want, but give the story a chance! It's not her fault :) As always (and especially now) many thanks to all those who reviewed:**

**_po, Premus, Furimaindo, francis, pen-Aine, ca, Aralana J'Lee Lovings, PercyJackson13, tired of waiting _**(you get points for being up-front xD)**_, KOS-MOS20, CrossroadsofLife, MN, RyuInnersoul, wickedliz, Shaybo27, AnimeFanx3, Alyssa, kazuo-sempai, Prizz, TruantPony, sweetieebunny, 1999, UPDATE _**(more honest brutality points!XD)**_, Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky, Dividing Line, whatever. you. love., thehgirl13, Poisonfish, Rukie Martinez, shnizlefritz, Mokimoki-chan, chineschopsticks, xXSonamyloveXx, Mae Snapdragon, lizzyytx33, IchirukiLullaby, broken emerald, Kuroi-cho-tsuki-shiro, IchiRuki2.0, pamianime, allylalina, Fire331, OnepieceX3, _and_ KitElizaKing _**

**__I hope at least half of you were patient enough to be reading this xD To those of you who waited (patiently or not hehe) thank you so very much! I'll try never to go mia for this long again :P**

**...On the upside, I'm pretty sure the last was the most reviewed chapter for this story XD  
**


	18. A Great Woman

"We've got a lead on Aizen."

There was a seemingly endless moment of utter silence. Ichigo wasn't even sure he was breathing; his mind seemed to work sluggishly to process what she was saying. On some level he realized that was because he didn't _want_ to process it.

But he did.

"You did _what?"_ was all he could say when he regained the ability to speak.

Rukia took a sharp intake of breath, obviously not missing the barely controlled anger in his voice. "I'm sorry I did not tell you sooner-"

"The hell with that!" he snapped, suddenly on his feet. "You shouldn't have stuck your nose where it didn't belong in the first place! _Damn it Rukia!" _he was bristling now, starting to pace back and forth as he frantically ran his hands through his hair. "Didn't I _tell_ you to stay out of this? This is exactly why I didn't want to…" At the last moment, he bit his tongue to keep from finishing the statement, but from the way she stiffened he knew that she knew what he'd meant.

Her face hardened into a stoic mask and her eyes became a steely dark. "I apologize for not telling you of my plans before now." she spoke carefully, her voice deliberately controlled. "But I will not say I'm sorry for doing this." she finished by folding her arms over her chest and cocking her hip. She met his eyes defiantly and he knew from her stance alone that she wasn't backing down easily.

Neither was he.

"You're so _fucking_ stubborn!" he looked at her with anger unlike any he'd ever shown her twisting his features. "You know what these people can do, you know what they _have_ done!" He had to restrain himself from waving his arms wildly in frustration, forcing them down to his sides in tight fists instead. Rukia didn't seem shaken or remorseful, but her eyes, never leaving his, softened almost imperceptibly. Ichigo felt his anger begin to subside as something else started surfacing. "You know what they've done to _me." _

All the strength and anger drained out of him with the last statement, his legs all but giving out under him as he allowed himself to fall back unto the futon. He doubled over, putting his elbows on his knees and intertwining his hands while keeping his head down, his face hidden from Rukia's view. There was a stretch of silence that seemed much longer than it probably was, before he spoke again without looking up.

"I can't go through that again."

His voice was but a raspy whisper, too many buried emotions surfacing at once, all but breaking his carefully constructed barriers of strength. A heavy silence stretched on after that, and for a fleeting moment Ichigo wondered if Rukia had left after his outburst. The notion was instantly dispersed, however, when he felt a familiar little fist connecting with the back of his head mercilessly.

"_Rukia!"_ he hissed through his teeth, his hands coming up to the surely forming bump on the back of his head and his eyes stinging from the pain.

Her expected comeback didn't come though, and when he looked up, he was surprised when he didn't find scolding violet eyes narrowed at him. Instead, Rukia had her arms folded and was looking off to the side, almost as if lost in thought.

"Hey! You can't just hit me and act like you didn't do anything!" he complained out loud, waiting for her to turn and face him. "Rukia!"

"Ichigo," she spoke without looking at him. The uncharacteristic softness of her voice took him aback. "You have a right to be angry."

"I… I do?" He blinked, confused. He wasn't used to this Rukia. He was used to her yelling and maybe hitting him; he knew how to retaliate to that. He was at a loss on how to react to this.

"You have a right to be angry…" she repeated slowly. "But where do you get off on suggesting that I have any intention on putting you through all that pain again?" And suddenly, she was yelling again.

The sudden changes were enough to make Ichigo's head spin, but he blinked tightly and managed to keep up. "Wha- I never said you _intended _to, but_-"_

"I'm not so heartless that I don't see how much this affects you, Ichigo!" she cut him off sharply. "And I'm not so careless that I'd go rushing into things without a clue!" Her eyes were flaring with an intensity that, for once, made him keep his mouth shut and listen. "I went to my brother for help, and I know it was wrong of me to do so behind your back, but I did it because I knew you would be too hotheaded to let me help if you knew."

Ichigo wanted to argue, but he knew that she had a point. Even so-

"But I will by idly when it's within my power to help you." Rukia went on. "Whether you like it or not. And I have no _intention_ of letting you suffer because of me. I've told you before, I can take care of myself, but I need you to trust me to do it."

His protests were stuck in his throat and he merely watched her, open-mouthed, as she took a few steps forward and then came kneeling before him. Her eyes bore into his and she placed one hand on his knee while the other settled gently over his own where it had landed sometime on his thigh.

"Ichigo," she said firmly, holding his gaze. "I promise that I will not put you through that pain. I'm more capable than you think, and I will not allow myself to become a burden to you."

"It's not-" _It's not you,_ he wanted to say. She wasn't the problem; it wasn't her weakness that he was worried about… Chad hadn't been weak. _His mother _hadn't been weak.

"Please," she said before he could go on, surprising him yet again with the rare display of her pleading. "_Trust _me." she was silent for the length of a heartbeat before her hand tightened subtly over his and she added, "Like I trust you."

Just like that, he was left speechless.

She knew. She knew what he was really afraid of, what terrified him more than anything…

His own weakness. His failure to protect.

_Like I trust you._

She was casting away his fears by giving him her full confidence… And all she asked was for him to do the same in return.

"You're a pain in my ass, you know that?" he spoke at last, his words making Rukia's eyes widen in surprise. "But…" He let his features relax as he turned the hand that was still within her grasp so that their palms were pressed together. "I trust you."

_And I won't betray your trust in me, _he vowed silently.

Rukia's eyes smiled into his and he felt the corner of his mouth twitch upwards.

"Come on," she said as she started getting to her feet, pulling him along by their intertwined hands. "I'll explain everything on the way home."

His breath hitched for a moment and his chocolate eyes went wide. She'd said it so casually, he wondered if she'd even noticed that she had just referred to his house as "home"…

Ichigo felt a small smile pull at his lips as he let himself be pulled along by a blissfully unaware Rukia. They were almost at the door when he suddenly stopped and used his grasp on her hand to tug her towards him. She opened her mouth, presumably to question his actions but before she could form any words, he was pressing his lips on the top of her head.

"Better keep your promise." he said, attempting to make his voice somewhat threatening.

She scoffed after just a moment. "I don't break promises." she declared in a haughty tone, before tugging on his hand. "Now let's try to leave sometime before tomorrow."

-x-

"Have you heard of Kaname Tousen?" Rukia opened with a question, cutting straight to the chase once she and Ichigo were in the privacy of his car.

"Hotshot business guy who ran Suzumuchi Enterprises." he recited like he was reading from a card. "He got arrested for fraud a while back, still doing time, right?"

"Yes, yes, and yes." she nodded, satisfied that he at least knew who she'd be talking about. "He was accused of fraud, but the thing is, for what should have been a high profile case, the whole thing was actually very hushed up and went by relatively under the radar. The entire case was pushed through in a matter of weeks."

She could only see Ichigo's profile as he drove, but she could make out the slight creasing of his brows and the way his mouth tightened ever so slightly.

"For a man who could no doubt afford some of the best lawyers money can buy, it seems odd at best that he'd just go down that easy." she went on to say, sure that she wasn't far off from what he was thinking.

"It _is_ weird," he agreed. "But what does it have to do with Aizen?"

"Well a lot of this is just rumors and there was never any solid proof about anything," she explained. "But there are a few who will affirm that Tousen had been involved in some underground business with the Arrancars. They say that he wanted out, and of course that didn't go well with them."

"So they fabricated the case and threw him in jail," Ichigo filled in the blanks. "Problem solved."

Rukia nodded again. The Arrancars were a group with plenty of connections both upstairs and downstairs in the business world, it wasn't all that surprising that they could be involved in some cases like Tousen's. Still, that didn't do anything to connect the case with Aizen; she could practically hear the question hovering on the tip of Ichigo's tongue.

"This is where my brother's investigative abilities come in." she declared almost smugly. Did she just imagine the corner of Ichigo's mouth twitch in annoyance? "Did you know that Suzumuchi Enterprises started off as Kyoka Suigetsu Corporations?"

The hint of annoyance that she might have imagined or not disappeared entirely as curiosity began to take over his features. "Kyoka Suigetsu…"

"Tousen and Aizen were partners." she said, feeling no small amount of satisfaction as she noticed Ichigo's eyes widen at the revelation. "And even though the company changed its name and Tousen was left as the official owner, rumor has it there were still a lot of money going in and out under the table to some unknown destinations. It could be nothing…"

"Or it could be the link that's been missing." He finished for her. He spoke in a nearly breathless voice, like the idea that he could actually have the man he'd been searching for years within his grasp at last was almost too good to believe. "Holy shit."

Rukia was silent as she waited for him to absorb the information and its implications. It was a few long minutes before he finally spoke again.

"Your brother really found all this?" he asked, his tone half admiring, half disbelieving.

She nodded patiently. "He has connections that extend far beyond what you could imagine, and as much influence over them. There's hardly anything my brother cannot know get if he wishes it."

"Tch." The annoyance had returned to the man's features. "Now you're just showing off."

Rukia felt a smirk surfacing, their interactions returning to normal effortlessly. "Showing off is an act far beneath the Kuchiki name."

After Ichigo threw her his best skeptic scowl, they slipped into a silence where she unquestioningly gave him the space he needed to decide what to do next; she may not have stayed out of the issue like he'd wanted, but she still understood that it was something personal to him and would respect his choices in the matter.

"I'm going to talk to him." he declared finally.

"To Tousen?" she asked, but knew at once that's who he meant. She nodded in agreement. "We can go this weekend, so you won't have to give explanations or raise any kind of suspicion by using your work hours."

She had expected him to protest when she used the word "we", but was instead taken by surprise when the only sign that he showed of disagreement was a very slight tightening of his hands at the wheel, only to relax quickly afterwards as he took in a breath before saying, "Yeah," he turned to her just as the car slowed to a stop on a red light. "That's probably best."

And she understood immediately that he wasn't just agreeing to her suggestion, but that he was accepting her help as well. She couldn't help but smile at this, feeling equal parts satisfied and grateful that he was giving her his trust.

Whether he noticed it or not, Ichigo had started to smile as well, his eyes gleaming down at hers. It might have been a tender moment, had it not been abruptly broken by a chorus of angry honks signaling the stoplight's change. Ichigo's curses soon joined the honking, but Rukia could only grin in amusement.

_Never a boring moment._

-x-

The rest of the week dragged on for Ichigo in a blend of anxiety and expectation. The mere knowledge that Kaname Tousen could be the one to put him on Aizen's trail alone made him itch with excitement. For one year he had felt like a dog chasing its own tail: having it so close in front of you and yet always out of reach. It could hardly be called a chase at all. But now, he felt like for the first time, the chase was about to become real.

It was those thoughts that filled his head as Ichigo passed the expressionless guard that held the door open for him into the visiting area of the state prison where the ex-business man was being held. Rukia stepped in behind him, coming to stand at his side as they scanned the area.

Visitors and convicts sat on opposite sides of each other in a straight line of makeshift cubicles, separated by clear glass and using generic black cord telephones to communicate through the barrier. Ichigo and Rukia waited wordlessly until they saw a dark-skinned man, with hair that fell past his shoulders in surprisingly elaborate dreads, dressed in the bright orange uniform of the jail and being led by a guard on the other side of the glass towards an empty chair. Ichigo looked at Rukia, as if for confirmation -despite having already memorized what the appearance of the man he was waiting for was-; she nodded and motioned for him to go ahead before her. Ichigo took the only chair available with an unspoken agreement and Rukia stayed back, not too close but still within earshot of his half of the conversation at least.

Behind the glass, the man that could only be Kaname Tousen sat down and stared back at him with blank eyes. Despite having known beforehand that the man was blind, Ichigo was still unnerved by the unseeing gaze that seemed to stare right through him. Swallowing back his uneasiness, he picked up the phone and saw the other man mirror the action.

"Mr. Tousen," he spoke first, keeping his tone as neutral as possible for the introductions. "My name is Ichigo Kurosaki, I work for the Seretei Daily."

The voice that spoke in his ear was deep and calm. "I would return the courtesy, but it seems you already know who I am. Is that right, Mr. Kurosaki?"

Ichigo nodded before he could stop himself, belatedly responding with a quick "Yes." He had to clear his throat to continue in the same professional tone. "I would like to ask a couple of questions."

"I thought the press had already covered all that was pertaining to my arrest." Tousen spoke, his face and his voice remaining as even as ever. If he was truly disturbed by Ichigo's intentions, he wasn't demonstrating it.

"They have. This isn't about your arrest." Ichigo told him bluntly, deciding quickly that there would be no use to beating around the bush. _Good,_ he thought. He had always preferred to cut to the chase. "I want to know about a man named Sosuke Aizen."

If years of questioning people and measuring every diminutive detail about their reactions hadn't honed Ichigo into the journalist that he was, he might have missed the almost imperceptible stiffening of the other man's body.

"I know that you know him, there is no use denying it." Ichigo hurried to add, anticipating what would follow Tousen's reaction. He didn't have much solid proof, but you didn't get to where he was without a little bluffing. "Is it true that Aizen was originally involved with Suzumuchi Enterprises?"

"Why is a reporter interested in this?" Tousen's tone did not betray it, but his reply showed that he would not be as willing to rat out his old partner as Ichigo had hoped.

"It's my job." was all he answered. "Now please answer the question."

Tousen was silent for a few seconds that felt like minutes, his face not showing so much as a twitch of emotion. But finally, he answered. "It is true."

Ichigo relaxed, not having realized he had tensed up waiting for a reply. "Now tell me," he went on. "Did he have a hand in the accusations made against you and subsequent arrest?"

"I do not understand." Tousen replied just a split second too quickly.

"Aizen," he repeated. "Did he have something to do with your arrest or not?"

"As a man who works for the Seretei, you should already know all the details pertaining to my arrest, Mr. Kurosaki." came the vague answer.

Ichigo felt his eyebrows begin to inch closer together. "I know all the recorded details. But rumor has it there could have been something more than fraud as to why such a successful man as yourself was sent to the big house."

"And you wish to investigate if those rumors are true?"

"I merely find it curious that someone with the amount of money and power that you had at your disposal seems to have barely stood a chance in a trial where a decent lawyer and perhaps a fine that would have been pocket change for you could have let you walk free."

"Any theories?" Tousen asked, and Ichigo couldn't tell if it was a challenge or simple curiosity.

"Only more rumors." he answered, imitating his apparent calm. He waited another two seconds before lowering his voice to say what came next. "They say the Arrancars don't take too well to people who try to walk away."

Tousen was still and silent as a statue.

"Is there any truth to _that_ rumor?" Ichigo prompted.

"What exactly are you after, Mr. Kurosaki?" Tousen's voice dropped a few notes, the first signs of an edge entering it. That was all Ichigo needed to know that he -Rukia, and Byakuya- were on the right path.

"I already told you that. I want Aizen."

Tousen's eyebrows creased ever so slightly, and Ichigo had an impression like he could feel the blind man's eyes narrowing at him. It suddenly didn't feel like he was staring through him, but like he was staring straight at his _soul_. He could feel the fine hairs on the back of his neck stand and, though he would never admit it out loud, he was infinitely glad for the feel of Rukia's reassuring presence not far behind him.

"I already said that Mr. Aizen did indeed work with me when we started a business together." Tousen's voice was closer to how it had been in the beginning, but not quite as neutral anymore. "I do not see how this has to do with my arrest or with the Arrancars."

"You mean to say that you and Aizen didn't maintain contact once your business became independent?" Ichigo shot back.

"That still has nothing to do with-"

"And you were never involved with the Arrancars in any way?" he pushed on. Upon being met with silence again, he decided to take it further. "Mr. Tousen, you are already behind bars. I have no intention of making things worse for you, and if you want it you have my word that your name will never be mentioned in any information I disclose in the future. You're not the one I'm after." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I know that Aizen is involved with the Arrancars." He had to close his eyes for a second then, fighting the unwarranted images of rain, blood and tears that flashed through his mind as he remembered that day… Before he opened his eyes again, he saw one last picture of the brown-haired male, with that calm smile and predatory gleam in his eyes. He made sure to steady himself before speaking once more. "But I need the proof. I think you can be the one to lead me to it."

There was a seemingly endless stretch of silence as the other male seemed to consider him, and Ichigo wished now more than ever that he could just look into the man's eyes and show him his sincerity. As it was, he could only wait with his breath held until at last, the voice was once again in his ear.

"You are not incorrect." he said. "But I am sorry." Immediately, Ichigo felt his hope crashing down. "I cannot give you what you want."

He merely gaped for a long moment, before the frustration rose inside him and he felt his scowl harden as he leaned forward to shoot bitterly. "Can't or _won't?"_

He appeared thoughtful for a moment, before replying serenely. "This is the path that I have chosen."

Ichigo could have snapped. He was about to verbally take out the anger that he felt for the man's response on him when he felt a firm, yet somehow gentle, hand on his shoulder holding him back. He looked up, already knowing who he would see but surprised nonetheless that she had chosen that moment to interfere.

Rukia gave him an almost imperceptible shake of the head to indicate that he should not do whatever he was about to do. He couldn't deny the awe that he felt that she had been able to anticipate his violent reaction the way she had, but then had to remind himself that it was _Rukia_ he was talking about- what else could he expect? She proceeded to give him a light squeeze and signaled with her eyes what he understood to be a dismissal.

He didn't immediately move, reluctant to stop questioning the man but understanding that at that point, with his temper as worn down as it was, he wouldn't do any more good. In any other case he would have been able to keep himself in check, but not then. Not when getting answers meant so much to him. He stood.

He handed Rukia the black telephone and met her eyes as he did. They didn't say anything, but with a tiny twitch of her lips to indicate a smile, Rukia communicated her reassurance and it was enough. Ichigo surrendered the phone to her and walked back to stand against the wall, barely noticing a someone passing in front of him to leave the room before he shut his eyes and leaned his head against the concrete. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and didn't bother trying to catch whatever Rukia was saying now, feeling the initial pounding of what promised to be a hell of a headache coming on.

He felt rather than heard her coming back, and when he opened his eyes he saw Tousen already on his feet and being joined by the same stone-faced guard that had led him inside. Looking down to see Rukia, he wasn't surprised to see her serious face- a sign that things hadn't gone their way.

"So he's not talking." he assumed.

Rukia's frown deepened. "He remains loyal to him." she said. "His reluctance to speak is out of loyalty for the man."

Ichigo felt himself gaping in disbelief, eyes darting back up towards the retreating figure of the convict. "Loyal to the guy that probably didn't lift a finger to keep him out of jail?"

"I don't understand it either." she lamented. "But whatever his reason, he truly believes in it and that's all that matters to him."

Ichigo tightened his fists at his sides almost painfully. "_Great_. Now where do we go? That was all we had."

"First, we leave here." Rukia indicated to the exit, clearly not eager to spend any more time that she had to in the place. Ichigo let his feet carry him after her almost mindlessly, too preoccupied with his own frustration at having turned into yet another dead end to really pay attention to his surroundings. As they walked back the way they came, she talked. "When we get back, we can try talking to the people that worked close to Tousen and see what they know."

He scoffed irritably at the suggestion. "If the guy that has nothing to lose won't talk, what makes you think that the ones that _do_ will?"

Rukia gave him a sideways narrow-eyed glance. "Isn't it your job to _get _them to talk?"

The way she said it was more than just a retort. It was a reminder; a subtle reassurance in the way that only she knew how to give.

The tension in his muscles subsided and his hands eased open. He looked back at her. "You say that like it's so simple."

"Let me know if I'm overestimating you." she smirked.

"Bitch." Even as he said it, he felt the pounding in his head already draining away.

-x-

After their less than successful stop in jail, Ichigo drove back to his house without bothering to ask his company if she wanted to stop anywhere else- like her own house. Rukia was less intrigued by the act itself than by the fact that it seemed perfectly natural to both of them. She didn't exactly have a vast array of experience in the relationship department, so she was left to wonder if it was normal for the two of them to have reached such a level of implicit comfort after only a few weeks of going past the 'friends' stage. A voice in the back of her head told her that it wasn't, but that same voice also reminded her that she couldn't really recall a specific point in time when she could simply brush off what she and Ichigo shared as casual friendship.

Her musings had kept her mind occupied for the majority of the quiet ride, but she hadn't deemed it necessary to strike up a conversation anyhow. The few sideglances that she shot at Ichigo showed her that, despite having been somewhat eased after their conversation following the meeting with Tousen, he was still preoccupied; small talk would be of no help to whatever frustration he was feeling over the matter.

They didn't break the silence once they were in the warmth of his home. Rukia could only wonder what he would do next- whether he would jump straight to his computer and either take his mind off things with work, or get started on the search for his next lead; or if he would crash into bed and mope for the afternoon. She didn't ask, merely giving him the space to recover his spirits however he decided. It was only if his moping got out of hand that she would find the need to intervene.

As it turned out, Ichigo surprised her by making a beeline towards the kitchen when they arrived. She herself went into the living room and only threw a few curious looks over her shoulder from where she sat on the couch, seeing the man tinkering around in the connected area. It wasn't long before she heard him coming to join her, sinking into the couch beside her as he wordlessly deposited a warm cup of something sweet-smelling into her hands.

"Hot chocolate?" she inquired, something akin to amusement lacing her voice as she took in the smell of the drink she hadn't tasted since before she could remember.

"What? Don't like it?" He asked gruffly before taking a sip of his own mug, but she could make out just a hint of honesty to the question.

She shook her head, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards unbidden. "That's not it. I just can't remember the last one anyone made it for me."

He scoffed, but she could feel the subtle relaxation of his frame next to her. "Don't get used to it." He warned, but even as he did, he stretched his arm to rest it over the back the couch behind her, quietly inviting her to snuggle closer.

She did, pulling her feet unto the couch and leaning into him just as she took the first tentative sip of the drink. The combined warmth of the rich liquid and of his body had an effect that erased any of the leftover chill from the winter air outside. They stayed like that for a while, until Ichigo spoke so quietly that it made her wonder if she was meant to hear.

"Mom used to make it."

She turned her head slightly so that she could see him; his eyes were on the mug in his hand, and had softened in a way that made him seem younger.

"Hot chocolate, I mean." he went on, his voice just a little stronger. "Whenever I -or one of my sisters, was stressed about something-, a test or some kind of try-outs, she would always make us each a cup. She wouldn't tell us that we would do okay, or even say anything about the matter; she'd just sit there with us and smile. That was all it took to get us at ease, every time."

Rukia couldn't help the gentle smile that formed on her lips as she heard him recount the memories with such obvious fondness. "She was a special woman." she told him softly.

He turned his eyes on her, and at the moment they were a tender brown that resembled the very chocolate drink in her hands. "Yeah…" he said, his face close enough to hers that his breath was like a warm caress. "Yeah she was."

He held her eyes for a long moment, before the arm that rested over the back of the couch moved go around her shoulders, his hand landing lightly over her hip. She responded shifting further into him, holding her drink in one hand and letting the other come to rest right over his chest. Beneath the black fabric of his long-sleeved shirt she could just barely feel the hint of the toned upper body, and beyond that, a steady beat. Barely aware of her actions, she found herself closing her eyes and leaning her head against him, listening to the rhythmic pounding of his heart like a calming lullaby. She felt him rest his chin on top of her head a moment later.

"Thank you." he murmured into the affectionate silence.

She wasn't sure if he meant for her company or comfort, or something else, but she didn't ask. It wasn't really necessary.

* * *

**A/N: I had to cut this one a little short because I didn't want to cram too much into the chapter, and what's coming next isn't really related to the events here so to avoid the risk of losing the significance of what happened in between too much other stuff****, I'm leaving it there. I hope the chapter didn't feel too rushed, I just didn't want to waste time on meaningless filler moments now that the plot is heating up. I can't say exactly how many chapters are left, but I feel that it'll be done in less that 25, so that doesn't leave all that much. I have made it my given myself the resolution to finish this story this year, hopefully before August (I'm taking into account the possibility of a busy semester, though fear not, I don't think it'll warrant a hiatus like the last one)**

**To: _SamanthaEscalante, KurukiXV, whatever. you . love, Imou, OnepieceX3, InthatMood, TruantPony, Rukie Martinez, shnizlefritz, Mokimoki-chan, SilverStella, SuperRukia, Metue, Shaybo27, chineschopsticks, Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky, sweetieebunny, KitElizaKing, Kuroi-cho-tsuki-shiro, pamianime, IchiRuki2.0, Alyssa, Poisonfish, Fire331, _and_ Mae Snapdragon- _thanks for the reviews! I was especially glad to see you guys still following the story after my prolonged lack of updates XD Thank you all :)  
**


	19. Prelude to Midnight

Ichigo stood at the threshold of his office, leaning against the wooden frame as he paused to stare at the scene before him.

Rukia was at her cubicle, as per usual, and standing at either side of her were Rangiku and Orihime. The two taller girls were gesturing wildly, though he didn't bother to listen to whatever it was that they were saying, and Rukia was shaking her head and glaring at them in a display of what was clearly meant to be annoyance, but the twinkle in her eyes betrayed her amusement. He watched as the women said something that must have flustered her, causing a pair of pink stains to appear on her cheeks while she tried to cover up her embarrassment by shoving the two away from her. Her friends only laughed, and he could see that despite her efforts, she was fighting off a smile herself.

He felt he was watching the scene as if from a distance, or perhaps through a screen, where he could appreciate all the small details that usually escaped one during such casual day-to-day encounters. Throughout it all, he felt his lips stretching to form a smile, and a warm sensation seeping through his body.

As he focused on Rukia, she turned her head and her eyes darted over to his. Violet orbs widened in surprise when they met his gaze, obviously not having noticed him before. For the brief instant when their eyes connected, she smiled at him; a small, simple smile that she hid only a moment later, but that still managed to send an already familiar flutter through his stomach.

Even as he merely watched her from a distance, he felt a comfort settle over him, like a blanket. The feeling was like a paradox that contrasted against the other, intense emotions that also flared within him whenever she was near, but somehow that very sense of chaos and serenity created a balance that seemed to make everything fall into place whenever their eyes met. He didn't fully understand what that overall feeling was, couldn't put a name to it, but in that moment, he came to a realization.

He didn't want to lose that. He _couldn't_ lose that.

He glanced over his shoulder into his office, where the screen of his computer was just flickering onto the screensaver; where he had spent the previous hours pouring over anything and everything he could find of Kaname Tousen and those who had worked close to him in Suzumuchi Enterprises. And he found himself wondering, for the first time, if all of it was really worth it.

He wanted revenge for all that was done to him and his family. Most of all, he wanted justice for his mother, who had deserved so much more than the end she forcefully met on that rainy day so long ago. It was worth putting a lot on the line; and he had always been willing to risk it.

But he had been driven by that desire for so long, he couldn't remember the last time he stopped to consider a different purpose for his life. He had only ever seen his future in terms of catching Aizen, and finally making peace with the pain of losing his mother. However, he didn't feel that need clawing at him anymore. It was as though, when Rukia came into his life, she had brought that peace he had so long searched for with her.

Then he closed his eyes, and imagined himself in a few years. He could see himself with Rukia, waking up by her side and holding her hand as he caught the flash of a gold band around her finger. He could hear the voices of children calling for them, smiling at them. He could see a family; a future. And it tasted better than anything he had ever hoped for before.

Could he let go of everything he had worked for, and go after a new, brighter future?

"Mr. Kurosaki," a soft female voice interrupted his contemplation.

He tore his eyes away from the group before him and looked down to see Momo Hinamori, petite and delicate as ever, with her brown hair tied in her usual bun covered by cloth. She was looking up at him with almost childishly gleaming eyes, before he nodded in form of greeting.

"Hey, Momo." he said offhandedly. "Back from your leave already?"

"Yes," she replied. "My friend Izuru is staying with Shiro for a while, until I can find him a permanent nanny. I just had to come back to work; strange as that might sound. I always feel calmer here."

"Yeah, I know what you mean." Ichigo said before he could catch himself, then it was all he could do to keep his tell-tale eyes from drifting back over to the raven-haired woman plaguing his thoughts. "Uh, was there something you needed, Momo?"

"Oh, yes." she seemed to snap back from her own train of thoughts, only then remembering she had a purpose. "Mr. Aizen asked me to tell you that he would like to meet with you. He said he wants to discuss something important."

He tensed. Dread washed over him like a wave, grounding him to the reality of the situation, and somehow also serving as a reminder of all that he was putting a stake. He allowed himself a quick glance towards Rukia now, and found to his surprise that she was already looking in his direction, a worried frown twisting her features.

Ichigo clenched and unclenched his hand at his side, before his mind clicked with renewed resolve and his decision was made.

-x-

"Please, come in."

Aizen's smooth voice drifted through the wood of the door, as easy and confident as the melody a man would use to charm a snake. As Ichigo opened the door of what used to be Ukitake's office and allowed himself inside, he was met with the sight of his current boss lounging in the chair behind the desk, eyes crinkling with a smile behind the black square frame of his glasses.

"Ichigo, so glad you could come."

Ichigo felt his shoulders stiffen at the polite greeting. Jushiro Ukitake had said the same words to him countless times, but where the elder man's voice had carried kindness and genuine warmth, Aizen's felt like a cold satire of the intended cordiality.

"You asked to see me." he replied curtly, not particularly caring to follow along with his boss's pretenses.

"I did," Aizen nodded, his brown eyes opening to regard him now, but the hint of a smile still curving his mouth. "I suppose you would like me to cut straight to the chase, right?" He spoke in a playful manner, the way an adult might speak to a child that he found amusing. The sheer condescendence of it made Ichigo's fingers twitch at his sides, but he held himself in check. Then, seemingly satisfied with the reaction he had gotten -despite the lack of verbal response-, Aizen went on. "Still impatient, Ichigo? Remember, patience is a virtue." He paused, brown eyes twinkling behind glass before he added, "Especially for someone in your line of work."

The words hung like a silent warning for Ichigo. Aizen _knew_ he was being chased; he was simply playing along.

The other man interrupted Ichigo's apprehension with a chuckle. "No need to look so serious, I will tell you he reason why I have called you here." Aizen said calmly. "I have a special job for you to do."

Thatimmediately triggered a sense of alarm inside Ichigo. He had no idea what the man could have in mind, but the odds of it being to his benefit weren't exactly comforting. "What would that be?" he asked, in as controlled a voice as he could muster.

"I'd like you to cover the Kuugo and Shukuro story."

Ichigo remained tensed, waiting for the catch that would inevitably come. Looking at Aizen through narrowed eyes, he warily said, "I'll get on that right away, Sir."

"Glad to hear it, but not quite yet. You should wait until you get there, after all." replied Aizen, the smile once again widening on his features.

He held his breath, feeling the catch coming on.

"I want you to cover it on-scene." his boss explained. "This is a very high-profile case, and it would not do good to treat as anything but such. I believe you are the most suited for this, Ichigo Kurosaki."

The feeling of dread that he had been just barely repressing until then began to make itself known again.

"You want me to travel." He had intended it as a question, but his words were a clear statement.

Aizen didn't skip a beat before saying, "To Kawasaki."

Ichigo did not lose his composure, but maintained his stoic expression. "I don't-"

"Oh, do not worry about travel expenses or any of the sort." Aizen interrupted, getting to his feet. "I will see to it that all of that is covered by us, here at the Seretei. You will have good accommodations, and a trusted colleague of mine will be there to show you around." He spoke as he made his way around the wooden desk, and Ichigo's eyes wandered to the surface of the wooden piece of furniture as the man's words registered sluggishly through his mind.

Aizen had kept the same desk and chairs that Ukitake had used, but it was almost impossible to tell. Ukitake's desk had always been buried under piles of folders and files waiting to be read, and in between the towers of those he had kept a bowl filled with sweets for guests, and a single picture frame -which had held an image of him, looking about a decade younger, but still wearing hair the color of snow; and a man with long, wavy brown hair held back in a pony tail, who looked like he hadn't shaved in a few days and wore a lazy smile as he threw his arm around the white-haired man-. It had been nothing short of a mess, and the older man was more often than not attempting to navigate through the landscape of sheets for the sake of finding what he wanted.

As Ichigo looked at the desk now, he could see the smooth, polished wood for what he felt was the first time. Aizen's desk was immaculate. There was not a single sheet of paper to mar the area, nor a misplaced pen to create the illusion of use. Everything was neatly in place, organized to the point of perfection. There were no pictures. It looked like something on display at a store, more than something that was actually owned by someone.

Ichigo found himself studying these contrasts as he let Aizen's explanations filter through his mind, and had become so engrossed in the task that it was only when the other male stood mere inches from him that he became aware that he had been walking up to him.

"-chigo?"

He swallowed, blinking himself into proper awareness as he turned to the man. "When did you say I would leave?"

Aizen did not so much as blink. If he had noticed Ichigo's apparent lack of attention, he gave no sign of it. "This week. Two days from now."

He kept his face carefully neutral as he chose his next words. "I'm afraid I won't be able to make it, Sir."

A single, perfectly trimmed brown eyebrow went up in response. "Is that so?" Aizen's smile remained as polite as ever, but the way his voice dropped a few notes was all that Ichigo needed to detect the disapproval.

"I'm sorry," Ichigo continued, meeting his eyes. Aizen was just barely taller than him, but he stood his ground and would not allow himself to be looked down upon. "You will have to give the honors to someone else."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Aizen's smile dropped into a lamenting expression. "But I'm a afraid that this is not a request, Ichigo."

The reply did not surprise Ichigo, but it still hit him like a bucket of cold water. His fists tightened at his sides and he stood a little straighter, tilting his head back slightly so as to be able to look down his nose at Aizen, and make it clear that he was not backing down. "And if I choose not to go?"

His words were an obvious challenge; perhaps the first one he had openly issued against the man. He thought it ironic that for all the time he spent chasing after Aizen, it was only now, when he was so close to him in more than the physical sense, when he intended to _end_ the chase, that he directly defied him.

"I am afraid that would not do." Aizen shook his head regretfully, as if he was genuinely saddened with his response. "I have placed a great deal of trust in you to cover this story, and it would not look very good for either of us if you were to decline it. Such a failure would surely bring about bad fortune if not handled properly."

Ichigo's voice was tight. "What would be the proper way to handle it?"

Aizen didn't answer for a long moment, his eyes apprehensive as he watched Ichigo with an odd mixture of amusement and wariness reflected in his resurfacing smile.

"I do not need to remind you that your job, as well as that of everyone inside this building, hang from my hands, do I?"

-x-

"Something is wrong."

Rukia had been unusually quiet until that moment, ever since Ichigo had arrived at her apartment.

At work she had heard from Rangiku that Mr. Aizen had asked to see him, and it was easy to tell that whatever had transpired between them had not exactly been pleasant, as Ichigo had stormed through the fourth floor afterwards and straight into his office without so much as looking at anyone. The sound of him slamming the door of his office had been loud enough to make the entire floor fall quiet. He hadn't emerged for the rest of the day; when Orihime went to ask him to join them for lunch, he said that he was too busy and left it at that. Rukia had pondered whether to confront him or not, but had decided against it. If something had happened with Aizen, she had reasoned, the last thing Ichigo would want is for her to remind everyone that the two of them were close; it made him nervous enough as it was. So she had resolved to talk to him on the afternoon once they were at his house, but that plan had fallen through when she received a text message from him about half an hour before leaving:

"_Go back to your apartment today."_

That was all it had said. Her first impulse had been to ignore his message and show up at his doorstep with quite the mouthful of chastising, but a stronger side of her knew that it would have done more harm than good to do that. Whatever was troubling Ichigo, he was asking for space, and she would give it to him. She knew that he would allow her in when he was ready.

She had been pleasantly surprised when, around seven o' clock, she had heard someone knocking on her door and had found herself met with a mop of bright orange hair standing at other side. Her momentary elation had faded quickly, however, when she saw the look in his downcast eyes. She had stepped aside to let him in, and he had walked past her wordlessly, heading straight for the futon in the living room.

"I'm making dinner," Rukia had informed him, and he had acknowledged her with a nod of his head and nothing more.

She didn't press him anymore, not until nearly an hour later when they both sat side by side on the futon, with empty plates in their hands.

"You have that pathetic face on." she added after stating what she had noticed ever since his meeting with their boss.

Ichigo's eyes finally darted to her then, and she thought she saw him almost crack a smile before releasing a long breath.

"The curry was good." he spoke for the first time.

She blinked a couple of times, surprised by his casual remark before huffing haughtily. "Of course it was. It's my specialty."

He truly smiled this time, a grin that reached his eyes for a moment before the amber softened into something quieter as he watched her.

"Thank you." he said, in a voice that was firm and yet gentle somehow, conveying too much meaning to be referring to her cuisine alone.

Rukia fumbled under his gaze, a knot tightening in her stomach as she tried to understand what Ichigo's sudden change in attitude meant. She had a feeling that she wouldn't like the answer. In an attempt to slip into a more comfortable zone, she furrowed her brows and narrowed her eyes at him.

"Stop looking like that, idiot." she demanded, roughly snatching away the emptied bowl from his hands and rising to her feet. She went around the futon and started towards the small kitchen area, knowing that Ichigo's attention would still be on her. She wasn't expecting, however, to feel him appear beside her when she stood before the sink. In her moment of surprise, she failed to react in time when Ichigo seized the bowls back from her grasp and opened the tap to wash them. Rukia made to argue against it, but he interrupted without looking at her, saying, "You cooked."

She eased back, folding her arms and leaning against the counter behind Ichigo as she let him do the dishes. She could feel the tension that radiated off him, despite his attempts at casualness. She waited until he was done putting away the last of the silverware and was drying his hands before finally speaking the questioned that had been burning in her mind for the better part of the day.

"What happened?"

Ichigo kept his back toward her, so that if he had shown any reaction on his features, she couldn't see it. He kept the towel in his hands well after he was done drying them, and hunched over just slightly. After what felt like an hour of silence, he finally said, "He's sending me to Kawasaki. This Thursday."

Rukia pressed her lips into a tight line at the news, trying to decide what it meant. "But that makes no sense." She glared down at the floor, brow creased in confusion. "He knows you're after him, it would be best for him to have you close so he could keep an eye on you."

From the edge of her vision she could see the movement of his head as he nodded. "Exactly."

Understanding began to settle in, and as it did, Rukia could feel her stomach begin to sink. "How long are you supposed to be gone?"

"Three days." Ichigo said, his expression still hidden.

_Three days,_ she repeated mentally. Not enough time to achieve anything significant that Mr. Aizen could have needed Ichigo far away for; not when he had spent so long continuing his business as it was without ever managing to slip enough to inadvertently grant Ichigo what he needed. And yet, there must have been a way for the man to benefit if he sent him away…

"Ichigo…" Rukia started, making a conscious effort to control the shakiness threatening to enter her voice. "You can't go."

Ichigo laughed dryly at that. "He didn't really give me much of an option."

"He's leading you to slaughter!" she snapped at last, no longer able to control her visible emotions as absolute certainty washed over her.

"Ah," Ichigo's voice sounded maddeningly at ease. When he finally turned at an angle where she could see his face, she was taken aback by what looked like a disappointed, but resigned smile. "So that's what you figured too."

Rukia raised her eyes to Ichigo's and scrutinized him, attempting to decipher whether his apparent calm was feigned or real; while also trying to decide which of the two would have been worse.

"What's the matter with you, Ichigo?" she finally asked, visibly agitated. "Could you at least try to _act_ like you care that your life might be in danger?"

It was obvious that she was angry now, but Ichigo responded with a mere shrug. "My life has been in danger the whole time, really."

"It's not the same." Rukia's voice suddenly dropped into a cool tone, her gaze as chilling as frost.

"You're right," he agreed. "This time I've had a warning."

Her mouth fell open at his words, and the take he was taking on the whole situation. Her entire body stiffened. "You're planning to use this, aren't you?"

He didn't say a word, eyes never straying from hers; it was answer enough.

"No." she spoke the word coolly, her stiff tone one that only years in the presence of Byakuya Kuchiki could have perfected.

"Rukia-" Ichigo started, but she wasn't having that.

"You're too reckless!" she suddenly exclaimed, arms coming loose from their folded position to gesture freely as she all but spat the words out. "Have you even stopped to think about this for a minute? You'll be right in the palm of his hand! You should be thinking of a way to avoid this, not waltzing into it!"

"I _have _thought about it," he interjected her tirade the moment she paused for breath. "I've spent practically all day thinking about it. I don't have a choice in the matter; the best I can do is take as much advantage of the situation as I can. Whatever he's planning, I know I can use it. He's been careful so far, and now he plans to eliminate the threat for good."

Rukia tried not to wince at the statement, but couldn't manage to continue holding Ichigo's gaze any longer.

"It'll be safe again for him once I'm out of the picture," Ichigo went on, his tone vacillating between distaste at the circumstances, and the increasing excitement over whatever it was he had in mind. "But it is impossible to eliminate any player without entering the board. Whatever he plans, he's in the game now. And as long as he is, I may be vulnerable, but so is he. This could be my only chance to…" he trailed off, his built up excitement rapidly fading as he looked at the petite woman, whose glare at the moment was fixed on the tiles under her feet.

"Rukia," he called her name as reasonably as possible, taking a step towards her in the compacted kitchen area.

She made as if to move away, only to be stopped by the hard edge of the counter pressing against her back. Before she could dart off to the side, Ichigo quickly closed the distance between them and placed his hands firmly on the counter at either side of her, preventing escape. She tried to keep her eyes averted, but as he called her name again, in a soft voice that whispered against her like a caress, they moved of their own accord, helplessly drawn to his.

The moment their eyes met, she understood that there was nothing left for her to say; nothing would change his mind now.

So she laid her hands on his chest, and with a pressure that somehow managed to be gentle, signaled to push him away. She caught sight of a brief flash of hurt in his eyes, but he stepped back without protest. It took all her self-control to do it, but she managed after a moment to reign in the turmoil of emotions battling within her enough to regain her outer composure.

She took a deep breath before saying, in an emotion-free voice, "I'll see you tomorrow, Ichigo."

Rukia once again saw Ichigo's face fall, and felt a pang of pain deep within her chest. However, she made no move to take back her dismissal.

She watched wordlessly as Ichigo turned and walked towards the door, pausing only at the threshold once he'd pulled it open. The angle on which she was standing in and the layout of the kitchen didn't allow her to see him, but she could almost feel his presence lingering uneasily. When he spoke, despite the relative softness of his voice, she heard him clearly. So clearly, that she thought perhaps she might have imagined it.

"I didn't want this." he said. "I was ready to give it all up for…" He seemed to cut himself off abruptly. He was quiet for an exceedingly long moment, before, saying a simple, "See ya', Rukia."

And he left.

-x-

It was late afternoon, the sun just beginning its descent into the horizon, as Ichigo folded the last of his clothes to put away for the next day's flight.

The day had gone by in a blur of phone calls e-mails, making the preparations for the upcoming trip. He would have preferred to set everything up in person, but skipping the day at work would have raised suspicion, and he wasn't willing to risk it. Now all that was left were the bare basics; the part which, ironically enough, he found himself dreading the most. He was just about to grant himself a break to flop down on the couch in front of the TV when he was interrupted by the sound of knocking.

It was quiet at first, almost hesitant in nature. But it sounded a second time, louder and more secure, and he knew he wasn't imagining anything. He hurried over and pulled the door open, and was met with a sight that seemed to lift an invisible weight off his shoulders.

"Rukia." he breathed, immediately finding her violet eyes looking up at him.

She was looking at him with an expression he couldn't quite put a name to; her face was hard, but her irises were gleaming with a whirl of so many emotions he couldn't begin to pick one out individually. But in the instant it took him to try to decipher what he was seeing, she had blinked it all away until only a steady sort of determination was left. Ichigo opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it.

"I'm here to help." She spoke with such conviction that there was nothing for him to do except step aside for her to come in, and smile down at her.

"I'm glad." he said sincerely, and was rewarded with her returning smile.

"God knows you can't do this on your own." she shot at him, and it was all the reassuring that he needed to know that she would remain by his side.

Ichigo exhaled with the same relief of someone who had been holding his breath for a long time; he threw the front door shut, not bothering with any pretense of delicacy, and followed the petite figure that was already halfway to his bedroom.

"After you," he muttered as he jogged to catch up to her, but the sarcasm in his words lost its effect against the smile he couldn't quite wipe from his features.

Rukia wasted no time once inside his room and set to work folding his clothes -most of which he had actually folded previously, but she had taken one look at them and, ignoring his protests with practiced ease, went to refold _'properly'-_, and organizing themin the bag he had set out. He joined in to help, but only after she oh so generously showed him step by step how to _properly_ do things. The whole time she didn't drop her haughty expression or mightier-than-though tone of voice.

Even with the time spent on tutoring Ichigo on proper folding techniques, the two of them managed to work diligently enough so as to be done before dark. Ichigo could tell it was late sunset when they finished by the deep orange light streaming through the half drawn shutters, which flooded the room with a warm glow that gave the impression that everything reflected the light of a burning fire.

"Is there anything else?" Rukia asked, looking around the suddenly emptier room.

"I've already taken care of the rest." he told her, unsure if she wanted more of an explanation.

He was glad when he saw her nod without probing any further; he didn't want to talk about his plans for the following days in that moment.

Silence began to engulf them then, as the two stood close together without knowing quite what to say to each other. Rukia was the first to attempt to speak.

"I…" she started, her eyes searching for his in the golden afternoon.

Looking into her intense gaze, Ichigo could once again see the swirl of emotions that had been there when she had appeared at his threshold earlier. His attention swayed to the way the orange light played over her delicate features; it appeared to flush her milky skin, and ignited around her obsidian locks like a halo. Her eyes were striking, glinting like deep purple gems beneath slightly upturned slender eyebrows.

The ache of an unexpected longing suddenly tightened his chest and he felt a knot in his throat, which caused his voice to sound strained as he started to form her name. He never got to complete it, however, because Rukia took the moment to fist her dainty hands in his shirt and pull him down into a kiss.

It was a kiss unlike any they had shared before. Slow and tender, but underlying were rivers of barely restrained yearning and desire running deep as the sea. As their lips molded against one another's, they conveyed every feeling that they couldn't put into words.

_I'll miss you…_

Rukia's hands slipped around his neck and she pulled herself up against him, her body sliding languidly against his. He slipped his hands down from where they rested on her waist to her hips, then daringly lower, moving slowly so as to give her a chance to signal any discomfort. When she made no move to stop him, he continued until he was grasping her thighs, and without warning he used the hold to hoist her up in one swift and sudden movement until she stood on his bed.

_I wish you could stay…_

Ichigo's hands roamed upwards again, along her hips up to the hem of her snug-fitting jeans, where his fingers teased the edge of the denim before gliding beneath her cotton shirt and ran over her smooth skin with calloused hands and a soft touch. Meanwhile, her hands had left his neck and were now at either side of his face, holding him as she kissed him from above.

_Be safe…_

His arms had wrapped themselves around her slim torso and were holding her tightly against him, his palms and fingers hot against her flesh. Rukia slid her hand over the sunkissed skin of his cheek and let her fingers roam freely through his thick spikes of tangerine hair. She kissed him with a mixture of vigor and caution, like she didn't want to be too hasty even as the heated need became increasingly overwhelming.

_Come back to me…_

They parted their mouths with a soft sound, their lips still grazing each other's as they breathed together. She moved to brush her lips over the corner of Ichigo's mouth, then along his jaw line until the dip unto his neck. She then pressed a featherlight kiss just below his earlobe, and felt the shiver that coursed through his body against her own, before his hands tightened at her waist and he started to climb unto the bed.

_I need you…_

He pushed Rukia gently onto the mattress, climbing over her with one knee between her legs and his hands at either side of her to hold himself up. His face brushed hers as he lowered himself to kiss her neck, which she arched after a moment to allow him easier access to the ivory length of it. He moved downwards using one hand to pull the collar of her shirt until her shoulder was exposed, then proceeded to press his parted lips along her collarbone. As he did, her hands worked themselves underneath his shirt, exploring the tight, heated skin of his torso before starting to tug impatiently at the fabric.

_I…_

Ichigo lifted himself over her and met her eyes now. The molten amber burned into her with his unspoken question, combining with the heat radiating off his lean body to leave her feeling like she had to gasp for air. Her voice was thick, but steady, when it left her in the one thought that filled her whole being with certainty in that moment. "I love you."

For a brief instant, it was as if time had stopped just for them, and they had been encased in a tiny bubble that kept them from the rest of the world. Neither of them breathed, as if any sort of movement would shatter the frail balance of their space, and their gazes never once flickered away from one another's.

Then, with almost unbearable slowness, Ichigo lowered himself unto his elbows, his body now covering hers with a weight that was both powerful and careful. His face came down over hers, their noses brushing together before he stopped with his lips hovering centimeters above her parted mouth. When he spoke, it was in a low, rich voice, kept down to just above a whisper, for his words were meant for her to hear and no one else. "And I love you."

And like a ceased clock starting up again, time began to flow once more for the two of them as their mouths connected.

Dusk gradually fell and the moon rose, its silvery light the only witness as the two people inside the room shared their bodies to the sound of their whispered names between panted breaths.

* * *

**A/N: Late update again...Umm...Look! A distraction! :)**

**Many thanks as usual to all those who took the time to leave reviews: **

**_UPDATE, KurosakiRukia999, KurosakiCrystal18, calidude146, MN, kalthurin, Cisusi, Sashu, Rukie Martinez, MushroomRukia, 11xNaNx11, Raelax Darkmoon, chibiyukia, Esquire Hayes, SilverFlameHaze, Furimaindo, OnepieceX3, SamanthaEscalante, Sa Rart, whatever. you. love, Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky, ali6220, Shaybo27, Asasininja4827, shnizlefritz, chineschopsticks, KitElizaKing, SuperRukia, Kuroi-cho-tsuki-shiro, Mokimoki-chan,_ and_ pamianime, _**

**__Thank you all for the fuel ;) Special thanks to _TruantPony _for helping me clean up a few things this chapter, and also having been a spellchecker- if you found the chapter substantially emptier of misspellings or words that seem out of place, it's thanks to her!**

**Hope you all enjoyed the chapter- until next time!  
**


	20. Trickster

Pale early morning light slipped through the curtains and fell over the figure of the woman sleeping in the middle of the bed. The shadow of a tall man lingered by the doorway, one hand clutching at the wooden frame as he stood halfway out, his face turned sideways so that his profile was still visible from inside the room.

Ichigo's gaze hovered over Rukia's form. Half-buried beneath his sheets, he could see the ivory trail of skin where the blanket ended and gave way to her shoulder. Turned sideways, her midnight-colored hair spilled over the pillow and across the milky white skin of her cheek and neck. Her arm was stretched out over the empty side of the bed, where the tell-tale wrinkles on the sheets betrayed the knowledge of another body having lied there not long before. The clock sitting atop the nightstand read _6:02am._

Ichigo's eyes flashed back to Rukia's face. With her eyes closed, her long lashes cast shadows over her rounded cheeks -still carrying a rosy hint that refused to entirely fade away-. Her slightly swollen lips were parted as she breathed evenly, and there was the smallest hint of a crease between her eyebrows, as if she were having a troubled dream. He had to close his eyes to fight the urge to go over to her, brush the hair away from her face and press a kiss upon her brow, telling her that everything would be okay, that there was no need to worry.

But if he did that, she would surely wake up; and if she woke up, he would have to hear the goodbye upon her lips, face what he didn't want to face.

So it was with great effort that he tore himself from the scene, turning away to leave before the voice that he had both been dreading and yearning for reached his ears.

"Ichigo."

Her voice was still hoarse from sleep but clear as she called him. He stopped with his back turned towards her, feeling the strength of her gaze but unwilling to meet it even as he listened intently for her words. There was a long pause that seemed to stretch on for hours, when everything was terribly still as he waited with his head hung low, eyes on the ground; then she spoke.

"I'll see you soon."

His head snapped up at that.

"Ah," he started, feeling lighter than he had all morning.

It was no goodbye. He turned his head a fraction, just enough to meet her expectant violet gaze.

Feeling the corner of his mouth twitch, he said, "See ya', Rukia."

He turned away then, but not before seeing the curl of her lips that he recognized as her understanding of the promise laced between his words.

Then he was gone.

-x-

Ichigo groaned, his body still aching from the uncomfortable plane ride as he followed the crowd filing out of the gate after landing. Shifting the duffle bag that was his carry-on item on his shoulder, he made his way along the rest of the passengers to baggage claim.

The process was mechanic as he went through the motions then found his way out to the front of the airport where he had been instructed to wait for whoever was supposed to be his guide for the next few days. He stood among a crowd of others, the people around him soon rushing to meet with friends, family and lovers, all happy to be reunited. He watched the different, simultaneous spectacles occurring with a detached kind of nostalgia, some part of him envious of those others.

He was snapped out of his inner musings by a voice that made the fine hairs on the back of his neck prickle.

"Long time no see, eh Ichigo?" the man spoke behind him. "Hope ya' didn't think I'd abandoned ya'."

Ichigo turned and faced the grinning, silver-haired man. He felt the crease between his eyebrows deepen and his eyes narrow before he spoke in a tight voice. "Ichimaru."

"Ouch, so formal!" Ichimaru complained, though the smile never wavered from his mouth. "We'll be seeing a lot of each other in the next few days, no need to be so cold, Ichigo."

He had to suppress a shudder at the mere thought of spending more than two minutes with the fox-faced creep, let alone three whole days. His eyebrows scrunched up further -if that was possible- in distaste at the prospect. He was sorely tempted to tell the man to run back to whatever circus he had come from and leave him to find his way around on his own devices, but he held his tongue for two reasons: one, he would waste a hell of a lot of time that he couldn't afford if left with nothing but his own mediocre navigational skills; second, he had bigger worries. Like the fact that Aizen had not sent just anyone, but his own right hand man to keep watch over him.

Indeed, Ichigo had bigger problems than dealing the overall oddity of Ichimaru's character… But as he found himself sharing the confined space of the back of a cab with the man only minutes later, while he whistled an inappropriately cheery tune, he really had to wonder about that.

It didn't take him long to conclude that, regardless of how things went, it would be a _long_ three days ahead of him.

-x-

"Feeling lonely yet?"

A familiar voice broke Rukia's concentration from the computer where she had spent a fairly impressive amount of time diligently typing away. She spun in her chair to look at the woman responsible, who seemed appeared entirely at ease with the prospect of cutting into her coworker's time for no good reason.

"Rangiku," Rukia raised an eyebrow at the older woman. "What are you talking about?"

"Why, Ichigo of course!" the blonde responded a little too exuberantly, making her rather generous assets get dangerously close to spilling out of her v-neck top, much to the interest of many male coworkers in the vicinity. Rukia, on the other hand, was preoccupied with fighting the urge to duct tape the woman's mouth.

"Not so loud!" she hissed, eyes widening significantly.

"Oh right," Rangiku waved her hand as if warding off an annoying insect. "Hush, hush stuff, don't want the big guys upstairs to get wind of the action going on down here." she winked without a sign of discretion. "Your secret is safe with me."

Spinning back to face her desk, Rukia settled her elbow on the surface and promptly slammed her forehead against the palm of her hand. "I feel so much better…"

Blissfully oblivious to the sarcasm in her words, Rangiku giggled and parked her behind on the edge of Rukia's desk. "No need to thank me." she said brightly, before focusing her azure gaze on her raven-haired friend again. "So?"

"So…?"

"Do you miss him?"

Rukia lifted her head and blinked, her eyebrows slanting. "Wha-? He just left today!"

Rangiku swung her legs lightly, unperturbed. "He'll be gone for three whole days."

"Three days is hardly a long time." she said flatly.

"It is when you're used to seeing him every day." the buxom blonde replied in a knowing manner. "It's always dreadful to be separated from your loved ones."

Rukia shifted uncomfortably, beginning to sense a slight change in the woman's demeanor. Was she imagining that glassy sheen in her light eyes? "Who'd miss that idiot anyway?" she scoffed, crossing her arms a little too tight over her chest. "It's only for a little while." she added quietly after a moment, not sure for whose benefit she was speaking then.

"Ah," Rangiku's eyes became downcast; the movement of her feet seized. "Just for a little while." she repeated in a mumble. An instant later she shook her head slightly and the air around her returned to that of the cheerful woman of a few minutes prior. She spoke with just the slightest bit of excess perkiness. "At least you know he'll be back soon."

That struck a chord within Rukia. She swallowed thickly, moving her eyes to stare at the document on the screen with a blank gaze. "Mm."

A long moment passed in silence as each woman became lost in her thoughts, until Rukia cleared her throat to speak again, straining her voice to sound as casual as it had earlier. "How did you even know about Ichigo leaving?"

Her question seemed to snap Rangiku out of her furor, the blonde quickly blinking herself back into character. "Oh, I heard Momo telling Mr. Hitsugaya about it. She's Mr. Aizen's assistant now, you know."

"Uh huh," Rukia nodded numbly. "Did she happen to mention anything else, by any chance?" she asked without looking at Rangiku, hoping to keep her tone light.

Rangiku shrugged. "Just something about Mr. Aizen hoping this will be a hard-hitting story, or something." she shifted her eyes to the side before adding, "And I think she mentioned that his old partner was also supposed to be going."

Rukia's brows knit a little closer. "His old partner?"

Rangiku nodded before turning to her. "Yeah, you met him before, I think; at the Christmas party. Gin Ichimaru."

A chill ran down Rukia's spine with the instant recognition of that name. She had only met the man twice before, but something about him had unsettled her from the moment she saw him, down to her very core.

Her hand twitched towards the cell phone sitting on the desk, but she hurried to bury the urge, knowing that at that point, the message would do more harm than good. "Oh. Right…"

Inspiration failed her as she tried to find more to say; luckily for her, she was saved by the bell but a second later by-

"MATSUMOTO!"

The buxom blonde snapped out of her stupor and into attention in a heartbeat, jumping off Rukia's desk and raising her hand to her forehead in a salute. "Yes, sir!"

The shock of white hair that could only belong to one person appeared around her cubicle a moment later. He groaned, rubbing his temples as if to ward off a headache, which, Rukia didn't doubt, was most likely the case. "Stand down." he muttered.

Rangiku relaxed instantly, her previously shocked features melting into a sheepish grin. "Mr. Hitsugaya… Out of your office so early today? What brings you about?"

The petite man shot his employee a teal glare. "I came to relay a message. I should be asking what _you_ are doing here, Matsumoto."

"Eh," the woman blinked. "Me too! Relaying a message." She nodded seriously. "I'm finished now, so I'll be going because it is no time for anyone to be wasting time mingling about! See ya'!"

She was gone before the undoubtedly sharp remark left his open mouth. Rukia shook her head, marveling at the woman's ability to maintain any steady job with her behavior.

"That'll have to wait," Mr. Hitsugaya said under his breath, just loud enough that she could hear. Evidently, he was comforting himself with the prospect of the woman's atonement. He turned to Rukia with a resigned look. "Ms. Kuchiki,"

"Yes?" she asked uncertainly, unused to being addressed by the white-haired young man.

"Mr. Aizen asked me to tell you," he spoke mechanically, though there was the slightest scrunching up of his eyebrows as he did. "He wants to see you in his office."

-x-

The ride to the hotel had been quite possibly the longest twenty minutes of Ichigo's life. He all but leaped out the moment the cab pulled up by the flashy entrance, desperate to get some breathing room between himself and the fox faced man.

Now, he thought, he sort of missed the cab. Sure, the backseat may have been more confined, but there was something infinitely more disturbing about sharing a hotel room with that man, large as it may have been. Not to mention that, discomfort aside, it was rather _inconvenient_ placement given the situation at hand. He would have to make do anyway, somehow; he didn't owe it just to himself anymore.

He reminded himself of this as he sat on the right-side bed -the one closest to the door- and leaned back against the headboard. His gaze strayed over to the nightstand separating both beds and the black cell phone resting on top of it.

Certainly, one message wouldn't hurt…

Ichimaru quickly cut that train of thought off as he emerged from the bathroom, weasel-like grin placed firmly on his features. "Nice place, ain't it?"

Ichigo gave a noncommittal grunt and diverted his eyes to the glass window overlooking the nearly empty pool in the back of the hotel. It might have looked enticing on any other day, with crystalline water, the sunlight glinting off the turquoise surface and the scent of chlorine and sunscreen filling the air. Today, however, the clouds were thick in the sky and the whole area had gained an uninviting gray hue, heavy with the promise of rain: effectively scaring off any potential swimmers.

Ichimaru must have followed his line of sight because, a moment later he said, "Shame the weather's been so bad. Now we'll hafta' focus on the boring stuff."

Ichigo cast a sideways glance at his current roommate. He waited in silence for a minute, but the perpetual expression didn't falter on the other man's face. Finally, he turned to him fully and spoke. "So when are we supposed to start with this?"

"Oh, you can relax for now, _Ichigo." _He batted his hands as if to calm him. "They're holding Ginjou's trial tomorrow at noon. We don't have any work 'til then."

Ichigo's eyes narrowed, before he exhaled sharply and got to his feet. "I'm going to look for someplace to eat. I'll be back later."

For a moment, he thought that the silver-haired man would 'volunteer' to go with him, but his only reaction was a slight nod. "Have fun!" he waved.

Ichigo grabbed his cell phone then was gone, not looking back once to see the smile slip from Ichimaru's features.

-x-

"Mr. Aizen?" The short, dark-haired woman emerged from the slight opening of the door into the well-polished office. "You asked for me?"

"Ah," the light reflected off the brown-haired man's glasses as he looked up. "Ms. Kuchiki. I did, please have a seat. Close the door behind you, would you?"

Rukia paused halfway into the office to turn and reluctantly do as he asked, before moving back towards him and taking a seat across his desk; the same position she had been in during her interview with Mr. Ukitake what seemed like a lifetime ago. She had been nervous then, hands fidgeting on her lap. Now her heart pounded heavily in her chest again, but she made it a point to let her hands rest easily on the armrests as she met this man's brown eyes.

"How are you, today?" He asked, smiling in a way reminiscent of a kind uncle. "Not working yourself too hard, I hope."

She swallowed, before placing a practiced smile on her lips. "Not at all. I am well, thank you for asking."

"Glad to hear it." Mr. Aizen's eyes crinkled for an instant as his smile widened, before his expression became placid again. "You have been doing a fine job for this newspaper, Ms. Kuchiki, even if you haven't been with us long."

Rukia nodded, willing herself to keep her wariness unnoticeable as she held her own smile. "Thank you, sir."

"I understand that Jushiro had placed someone to aid you on your way to becoming part of Seretei." He went on, and she couldn't help the slightest hardening of her features at hearing him mention her previous boss by his first name. "Kurosaki, am I correct?"

Rukia felt her pulse speed up, but she nodded casually in response. "Yes."

Mr. Aizen nodded as well, as if he was confirming it to himself, despite the fact that she knew he was very well aware already of the situation. "I suppose you are very grateful to him, it seems his work had its reward for you."

She kept her eyes unwaveringly on his without answering, each second of silence marked by the imaginary ticking of a clock in the suddenly tense atmosphere.

"Forgive me," He was the one to break the moment, easing himself back in his chair. "It is not my place to pry into that. You will have to forgive the whims of a curious man."

She pressed her lips into a tight line, suddenly unable to stop her eyes from straying towards the closed door over her shoulder. "Mr. Aizen…"

"Yes," he continued before she could. "I know that you must have things to do, I do not mean to keep you long. I only wanted to ask something of you."

"What is it?" She immediately berated herself for the sharp quality of her words, though the man did not react to it in any visible way.

"Tomorrow night there will be a business dinner with some colleagues of mine, and there will be some associates from other prominent newspapers present." He spoke while watching her, as if gauging her reaction. "I believe it might come as very beneficial for you to meet with them. You are merely at the beginning of your career, Ms. Kuchiki. I see much promise for you in this world, and I am willing to provide for you the opportunity to blossom fully."

Rukia could only stare. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess of suspicion and alarm, and -to her great shame-, a flutter of hope. There was a fleeting moment of the excitement that came with the opportunity that she was seemingly being offered, but she quickly shook herself off that brief fantasy. "I… I'm flattered, Mr. Aizen. That you would think of me for this chance…"

"Oh, think nothing of it, Ms. Kuchiki." he waved her off. "I am happy to do this for a person of your obvious dedication and talent. In fact, this is much less a favor as it is self-indulgence on my part."

"R-Right." A stutter escaped her self-control and she would have been angrier at herself if she hadn't been so busy running down her mental corridors looking for a way to escape the sudden turn of events. "It truly is an honor, sir, but…"

"Ah, I see." Mr. Aizen cut her off, and she immediately stilled. "You feel inadequate, yes? I assure you, I have thought this through and out of everyone working here at the Seretei, it is _you_ that has earned this chance. If you are worried about what others will say-"

"No!" she interrupted him this time, leaning forward in her seat a sense of urgency overtook her words and posture. "No, it's not that at all! I…"

"Rukia," Mr. Aizen cut in with a velvety voice, making a shudder run through her at the sound of her name on his lips. "Do you think so little of me that you would believe me so insensitive as to ignore the worries of my employees? Rest assured, that there is no need for news of this to spread out. The last thing I would wish is for you to feel uncomfortable here."

The irony of his words rang within her as she shifted again, clenching her hands into fists as she maintained her neutral expression.

"Now, I know that a young professional woman such as yourself would not be willing to ignore an opportunity such as the one I'm presenting." He went on, meeting her eyes. "Think of what young Mr. Kurosaki would say if he knew that his work was going to waste."

Rukia's breath caught in her throat at the mention of Ichigo in that instant. Her eyes widened involuntarily and she thought she could imagine that ticking clock again.

"A business dinner, you said?" She swallowed against the hoarse quality of her voice, and held Mr. Aizen's eyes as steadily as she could manage. "Alright. What time should I get there?"

Mr. Aizen's eyes crinkled shut in a lighthearted laugh again. "Come now, Rukia! I pride myself in having been raised as a gentleman."

She only looked at him as she waited with an increasing sense of dread for his next words.

"I will pick you up at seven. Be sure to wear something… appropriate for the occasion."

-x-

Ichigo's mind was not where his body was.

A multitude of reporters and newscasters lined the sidewalk outside of the courthouse where Ginjou Kuugo had just been trialed, all of them shoving against each other in an attempt to move to the forefront of the crowd and maybe get their question to reach the soon-to-be-arrested man from among the myriad of others. Ichigo, however, merely stood there with his notebook open to a painfully blank page with his eyes staring right past the scowling criminal into something no one else could see.

There was something gnawing at his consciousness, like the feeling of knowing you forgot something but not knowing _what._ Normally it would only serve to be terribly annoying; today it made him deeply anxious. His hand constantly brushed the fabric of his jeans' front pocket, where the rectangular-shaped protrusion betrayed the presence of his cell phone, only to come back down to his side where he would repeatedly clench and relax it. He was so deeply wound up in his own thoughts that when he felt a hand clamp over his shoulder, he very nearly jumped right out of his skin.

"Whoa! Didn't mean to startle ya'." Ichimaru's voice spoke from behind him. The man patted his shoulder before letting his hand slip away. "Ya' seem a bit distracted today, huh?"

Ichigo muttered something along the lines of "whatever", but otherwise didn't bother responding; though somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he should have been scolding himself for having let himself be caught so off guard.

There was a pause, before Ichimaru said, "Yer going to miss the good parts if ya' don't pay attention." His tone dropped a few decibels as he spoke: enough to make Ichigo spin around to face him with renewed interest. He narrowed his eyes and kept his own voice down to a deep grumble among the shouts of the eager reporters around them -all much too busy to pay attention to either of them- as he regarded the other man carefully, not sure whether he was imagining more meaning than there was in the his warning.

"What do you mean?"

"Just what I said." Ichimaru shrugged, his demeanor returning to normal -normal for _him,_ that is- save for his slightly knitted eyebrows. Before Ichigo could press him further, he tilted his head and pointed with his thumb over his shoulder. "If yer done here we can go now. No need to be wastin' time."

Ichigo's shoulders tensed, and he immediately snapped his unused notebook shut without sparing a thought to the story that he should have been covering. "Do we have somewhere to be?"

"Something like that."

Ichigo followed Ichimaru as he weaved himself out of the mob without a word, inhaling once deeply before steeling himself for whatever was sure to come soon.

-x-

Rukia stared at her reflection in the mirror while trying to ignore the feeling of her stomach twisting into knots. There was a nervous sort of anticipation building up inside her, not unlike the sort of feeling before a first date; except in this case, she knew nothing good could come of the evening.

She shook her bleak thoughts off and forced her focus on her appearance: she donned a simple yet elegant white dress that reached just below her knees, and a matching sweater to conceal her bare arms. She wore very scarce jewelry and had pinned her dark hair behind her head to complete her modest look for the night. She had avoided so much as a drop of make up in order to maintain an inconspicuous image, while still managing to make herself presentable.

It was, she thought, suitable wear for the night.

Her attention drifted from the image of herself and traveled behind her to the cell phone left carelessly atop her undone bed now. Silly and naive as it was, she couldn't stop a small part of her from hoping to see even a short message from the one person who she knew would be able to ease her nerves and clear her mind with just a rude greeting, or a careless remark. She closed her eyes and for a moment she could see his warm gaze and bright smile against a sunny backdrop, laughing as an unseen breeze tousled his vibrant hair playfully and he reached forward with one hand, fingers curled slightly, as if to thump her on the forehead.

Rukia opened her eyes and the image vanished as quickly as it had appeared. Pressing her lips into a tight line, she tore her gaze from the phone and looked back into her own determined eyes through the glass. She shouldn't be having such thoughts then, it would only distract her and she needed to be on her toes. One slip up tonight and she might very well be condemning the very person she sought to protect.

Without another look, she turned away from the mirror over her dresser and slipped into a pair of sandals, then grabbed her purse. Not a moment too soon, either; she caught sight of the alarm clock on her nightstand just as the glowing green numbers turned from _6:59_ to _7:00. _At that exact moment, a knock was heard from the front door, like precise clockwork. She shuddered at the almost eerie punctuality but quickly straightened her frame and fixed her features into a mask of neutrality, silently thanking her brother for years of training in that department, then crossed the short length of her apartment to open the front door.

He stood there, with his chestnut colored hair slicked back the way she had seen it during the Christmas party and his black-rimmed glasses once again missing from his face. She gulped at the sight of him: without the unruly hair and the glasses, the almost boyish quality of his appearance was entirely absent from his features. It seemed his rather impressive height and broad shoulders, along with the hard set of his square jaw were more evident than ever now.

She realized with a start that Sosuke Aizen was actually a very intimidating man.

"Good evening, Miss Kuchiki." he spoke in a voice that was low and smooth. She thought fleetingly that he sounded like a radio spokesperson, with his immaculate articulation and confident tone. "May I say, that you look lovely tonight."

Rukia did not allow so much as a twitch to shatter her polite facade and planted a smile on her lips before responding. "Thank you, sir. Should we be on our way now?"

"My, how eager." He chuckled, the sound carrying no trace of warmth in it. "No need to worry, the night is still young and I guarantee that there are is much excitement awaiting you this evening."

Her smile wavered for the briefest of instants. "I look forward to it."

They left without further ado then, Rukia following Mr. Aizen outside to the sleek white Mercedes parked right in front of the apartment complex. The air outside still carried the chill of winter despite the lack of snow, and the sky was uniformly gray. She looked upwards towards the heavens as she pulled her thin sweater closer around herself, a foreboding feeling pressing down on her chest as she walked around to the passenger side of the car.

Mr. Aizen pulled the door open for her and smiled down at her as she climbed inside, his eyes lingering on her for a second too long before he shut the door and went over to the driver's seat. "It looks like it might rain tonight." He commented casually as he followed her gaze out the windshield.

Rukia only nodded, saying nothing else as he pulled out into the street and they sped off.

-x-

Ichimaru had been uncharacteristically quiet ever since they had arrived back at the hotel room. The man had told their cab driver to bring them back here and as soon as they arrived he went straight for their room and planted himself on the chair at the small table in the far corner, not saying a word as he produced a notebook and started to scribble something, hunched over it and seemingly unaware of anything around him.

Ichigo wondered whether he felt relief of anxiety welling up inside him at this sudden change in his roommate's mood. Half of their stay away from Karakura was already over, and he should be wary for any eventuality any time now, but being basically ignored like this was not something he had ever anticipated. The crease between his brow deepened as he looked up from the nonexistent notes that he had taken of Kuugo's case and towards the silver-haired man, whose back was facing him from the other side of the room. Ichigo was currently sitting cross-legged on his bed and had various documents strewn around him, crafting the illusion that he was actually invested in his work rather than in carefully observing his companion; not that he truly needed to bother with it, as Ichimaru seemed altogether oblivious to his presence.

"Ya' know, yer not gonna make up a very convincing story if all ya' do is stare at me."

The man's words froze Ichigo, the pencil that he had been idly toying with going still in his grasp. He straightened up where he sat and kept his voice cool and even. "So you haven't been ignoring me after all." He didn't waste time trying to disprove his statement; whatever confrontation was brewing was inevitable anyhow. He saw no need to postpone it.

Ichimaru turned partially towards him, allowing him a glimpse of his profile: his lips curled up in the same emotionless smile as always as he spoke in a tone that could be mistaken for bemusement. "'Course not, Ichigo. That would defeat my purpose of being here, wouldn't it?"

Ichigo could feel the muscles in his arms and back coil and tense, the instinctive feeling of the fast approaching storm coursing through his veins in the form of adrenaline. "And what exactly _is_ that purpose, _Ichimaru_?"

The fox faced man kicked back in his chair and faced him fully now. "Why don't ya' tell me?"

Ichigo wavered, his eyebrows knitting with something akin to confusion this time. The man had him right where he was supposed to be, didn't he? Whatever was about to happen was inevitable, why was he still talking in riddles, like the cat and mouse game was ongoing? It made him feel like he was missing something, and that made him unsure of what his next step should be. He masked all these feelings though, resorting to his preferred way of handling delicate situations.

"Stop screwing around with me." He all but growled out, moving to stand from the bed and rise to his full height. "What are you going to do now, Ichimaru?"

The silver-haired man seemed to assess him for a moment -however that was possible through his impossibly slitted eyes-, letting his chair rock back to all its four legs before standing up himself. He chuckled as he faced Ichigo. "You've got it all wrong."

Ichigo blinked, the statement shaking him from his previous confidence. Refusing to let this show, he glared at the man and kept up his bravado. "What are-"

"Yer missin' the point, Ichigo." Ichimaru interrupted, and just as suddenly, the words he had said to him earlier that day echoed in his mind.

"_Yer goin' to miss the good parts if ya' don't pay attention." _

He _hadn't_ imagined the added meaning in those words. But what was…?

"Startin' to understand yet?" Ichimaru cocked his head to the side, still seemingly examining him.

And right then, Ichigo knew what the man was hinting at. The knowledge knocked on his consciousness as a cold feeling simultaneously began to numb his body. He didn't formulate the obvious answer, despite it being so close to the surface: he didn't dare to. He didn't want to face the consequences that it would entail.

"Ah, it seems ya' get it now." Ichimaru went on, still looking as much at ease as ever, even as Ichigo felt his head begin to spin. "This was never about _you."_

Of course it wasn't. That wasn't the way Aizen handled things; he knew that from experience. He had just been too stupid to realize it before.

"A distraction." He said the words, but heard them as if they had been spoken by someone else. The voice that left him was a flat and colorless echo of his thoughts; not grasping the actual meaning of what was being said.

Ichimaru nodded with apparent approval. "It was never a competition." he stated, like it was nothing but a mildly interesting fact. "Mr. Aizen never meant to fight against a mouse. In his game, it's always better to crush a spirit than to trample a mere pest."

Ichigo felt the floor being stripped away from under his feet and he blanched, realization finally sinking in without room for doubt. "He was just keeping me out of the way." His voice left him in a ragged whisper. His knees felt weak, and he had the nearly overwhelming urge to allow himself to crumple unto the ground and weep at his own failure, and at having ever held the childish notion that this was a battle that he could ever hope to win.

He did not surrender to either desire. Beating himself up wouldn't do anyone any good right now, and there was so much more at stake than his own pride or the need for atonement.

With renewed resolve, he raised his head and squared his shoulders, jaw set in unwavering determination as he said, "I'm leaving." _Just try and stop me. _The unspoken challenge lingered in the air, radiating from the burning in his eyes and his unrelenting posture.

Ichimaru's lips twitched, then he lifted his hands with his palms facing Ichigo. "It seems I can't stop ya' now."

Ichigo couldn't stop the momentary widening of his eyes at the easy surrender. He didn't stick around to question it though. With one curt nod, he acknowledged the man's unexpected good will and hoped to convey his gratefulness.

Then he turned and all but ran out, phone already in hand as he dialed a familiar number.

The silver haired man watched him leave with a bittersweet smile pulling at his lips.

"Hope ya' make it on time, kid. I never did."

-x-

Rukia stiffened as she felt the vibration from her cell phone travel from the purse, hanging on the back of the chair she was currently occupying at the long table in the private room that had been reserved exclusively for the night's meeting in the lustrous Hogyoku Restaurant. She glanced at either side of her but no one seemed to have noticed the slight disturbance, and she discreetly slipped her hand into the purse and pressed the button that stilled the alert.

"Indeed," Mr. Aizen carried on the conversation beside her. "Rukia here graduated only a year ago and she is already one of the best columnists we have at Seretei. Isn't that right?"

She looked up just in time to see the man staring at her, along with the expectant gazes of the other occupants of the table. "Oh," she quickly gathered her bearings and produced a demure smile. "I wouldn't go that far…"

"She's modest too." Mr. Aizen chuckled deep in his throat, giving Rukia a pat on the shoulder as, what she supposed should have been, a friendly gesture. The laughter soon died out but a calm smile remained on his lips as he kept his eyes on her a moment longer, before finally turning back to his colleagues.

The table consisted of a grand total of eight people, including Rukia and her boss. They were a strange group, she had decided from the moment she walked into the room and saw them all conglomerated at the same table; some looked uptight and composed -like stereotypical professionals-, while others looked like they were out on a probation period. To say the least, it was an odd mix, but she had not commented on it as she took her place on one of the remaining spaces and offered them all a cordial smile while Mr. Aizen introduced her.

"You seem to have adjusted well, Ms. Kuchiki." The remark came from the only other woman present; a dark-skinned blonde that looked like she had been ripped out of the pages of a catalogue, even in her conservative pantsuit. Her teal eyes were fixed on Rukia with only mild interest, and she appeared to be speaking to her more out of social obligation than anything else.

Nevertheless, Rukia replied as polite as ever. "Yes, people at Seretei have been very welcoming."

"I bet." That one was distinctly a man's voice, and it came from the one sitting directly across from Rukia. He had stood out from the very start because of his shocking, electric blue hair that, she later noticed, seemed to match his eyes exactly.

He had snorted as he spoke and his tone was clearly insinuative, but it wasn't the first time he'd made a snide comment like that one in the night. Rukia had already learned it was better simply to ignore him, though it was harder to do when she could feel his piercing eyes scrutinizing her from time to time, while she pointedly looked somewhere -anywhere- else.

Everyone else at the table followed suit in ignoring the man, whose name, if she recalled correctly, was Grimmjow, and continued the conversation with practiced ease. The subject of Rukia was quickly forgotten in the midst of other topics more familiar to the businessmen present, and for that, she was grateful. She never had liked being the center of attention, and the current dinner reminded her too much of similar occasions, years ago, when she had been obligated to accompany her brother to such meetings.

Another part of her, however, was a bit relieved at the familiarity of it all. She may have greatly disliked it, but this was a kind of social situation that she had spent years learning how to deal with, and she knew the protocol that needed to be followed. She could pass the time in an appropriate manner without breaking a sweat. And, more than anything, she was glad that the more sensitive subjects that she had thought would somehow be dealt with had remained, up until that point, untouched.

The more negative side of her brain reminded her that it was dangerous to allow herself to be lured into a false sense of security, but she had done her best to push those thoughts to the back of her mind. If she allowed herself to become paranoid, she would only give herself away more quickly. If anything, she needed to continue acting natural, at ease.

_You have nothing to hide. _She told herself firmly. _Nothing at all. _

"Don't you think, Rukia?"

"Huh?" she broke her mental chant to see that Mr. Aizen was once again speaking to her. "Uh," she hurried to amend. "Forgive me, what was that?"

"I was simply telling Mr. Cifer here, who doesn't believe in the efficiency of teamwork in a workplace, that it is always best to work as a unit." He explained. "It is like a clock: it cannot tell time if all the pieces are not working properly. Wouldn't you agree?"

Something about the way his flat brown eyes bore into hers as he said that, the not-quite-right tilt of his lips… It warned her that he wasn't really asking a question; he was expecting a single answer.

Removing her gaze from his unnerving eyes, she cleared her throat and answered, "Yes, I agree."

Mr. Cifer, an impossibly pale, dark-haired man seated to the left of Grimmjow, regarded her with cold green eyes. "The problem, Ms. Kuchiki," he started, in a voice that lacked any sort of inflexation. "Is that one cannot be sure to trust every piece."

There was nothing in his flat voice to suggest anything, but Rukia could feel the accusation in those otherwise empty orbs -chillingly still as they met her gaze-. Her mind failed to produce an appropriate reply to that, and she reached for a drink from the glass of water before her to compensate for her silence and hopefully stall while she thought up an answer.

The alert of a call chose that moment to start again, the vibrations rising audibly with increasing urgency. Ridiculously grateful for the interruption, Rukia set the glass back down with a slosh of the liquid inside and all but tore her purse from its place, rifling through its contents much too eagerly in search of the phone.

"Excuse me," she started, just as her hand enclosed around the device. "I have to take this." She began to slide out of her chair, frowning as her eyes made out the name on the caller id when she felt the weight of a hand on her wrist.

Before she so much as had a chance to reject the call and clear the screen, she felt the phone removed from her hold, and she looked up to find Mr. Aizen smiling placently as he casually pressed a button that silenced the phone then snapped it closed, turning to her. "Now, Rukia. It's rude to take a call at the dinner table."

She swallowed as she felt seven pairs of eyes fall on her at once. Reaching for the glass of water once more, her grip turned nearly white as she raised it to her lips, doing her best to control the slight trembling betrayed by the rippling water.

After taking a gulp of the cool liquid, she began to speak. "I'm s-"

"No need to apologize, Rukia." Mr. Aizen cut her off. "After all," he paused to take a look at the cell phone now in his hand, before returning his eyes to her. "We all make mistakes."

-x-

Ichigo cussed under his breath as he heard the sound of his call being once again disconnected.

"Damn it, Rukia." he hissed through gritted teeth as he brought the dial screen back on and made quick work of the familiar numbers. "Pick up the damn phone."

It had barely started to ring when he felt a shadow fall over him and a woman cleared her throat.

He turned to see a blonde flight attendant looking down at him sternly. "Sir," she spoke in a deceivingly polite voice. "All electronic devices must be turned off at this time." She glanced pointedly at the cell phone that he currently held against his ear.

"Right, I- _damn it!" _The curse escaped him as a mechanical voice told him that the device he had reached was currently unavailable.

The woman's eyes narrowed warningly and he had no choice but to begrudgingly lower the phone and shut it off, working to shove it back in his jeans' pocket in the crammed space where he sat. The flight attendant nodded approvingly before continuing along the aisle, and he was left sit back, arms folded as he looked out to the window on his left.

The sky outside was already beginning to acquire the rosy hues of sunset, and he felt his jaw tighten as he tried to avoid thinking of the amount of time left between him and his destination. The only thought that he allowed himself was, _please don't let me be too late this time._

He shut his eyes as, after what felt like an eternity, he finally heard the awaited announcement echo through the small plane:

"_All passengers please remain seated. Flight 162 from Kawasaki to Tokyo will now take off."_

* * *

**A/N: Troublesome chapter was troublesome. Lots of going back and forth between POVs, but it couldn't be helped. Not a lot of IchiRuki-ness either, but hey. We're nearing the end, it can't be helped. Oh and yes, for those of you who didn't notice: SoaG is almost finished. Two more chapters left at the most, maybe an epilogue, then that's it. *cue the sense of nostalgia creeping in on me***

**As always, thanks to everyone who reviewed: _SamanthaEscalante, Crystal, xXMadNinjaSkillzXx, xXSonamyloveXx, Luna21VW, Black Sun Upon An Icy Sky, mafiea, shnizlefritz, Mokimoki-chan, dArkAnge04, MN, HitsugayaLover99, chocobojockey16, wynnsy, KitElizaKing, Poisonfish, KurosakiCrystal18, chineschopsticks, MushroomNatsu, pamianime, Rukie Martinez, Kuroi-cho-tsuki-shiro, SuperRukia, 09ice, Shaybo27, dbzgtfan2004, Personal Riot, Cisusi,__ Mae_ _Snapdragon_, and _TruantPony-_  
**

**Going over your reviews, I'm afraid I enjoy them even more than you guys enjoy the story XD Haha, thanks as always for the support! Until the next chapter! (Made it to 20 chapters btw, yay!)  
**


	21. The Unspoken pt 1

The sound of a door swinging open interrupted the flow of conversation around the table, announcing the arrival of the long-awaited dinner. Rukia felt herself take in a breath of relief as two waitresses in white uniforms strolled in pushing one cart stacked with plates of food each. The two girls, who looked to be fresh in their teen years, set about delivering each plate wordlessly, setting each order before its rightful recipient without flaw.

One of the girls, who wore her dark hair in pigtails that somehow did not match the deep set of her eyebrows, placed Rukia's parmesan chicken in front of her, then did the same for Mr. Aizen. Unlike the rest of the table's occupants, the brown-haired man did not ignore the waitress, and he turned to her with an ever-charming smile.

"Thank you, my dear Menoly." he spoke in a suave voice, his eyes meeting the girl's but betraying no real emotion.

The girl nodded and took a hasty step back; Rukia wondered if she had imagined the way it seemed like the girl had actually jumped away from Mr. Aizen's unnerving gaze.

"My pleasure, Mr. Aizen." The girl -Menoly- replied a bit too tightly, but if she was feeling any uneasiness, she hid it well under a serious mask.

Nothing else was said as the two waitresses made their retreat, disappearing through the same door they had come through as if they had never been there. Fleetingly, Rukia felt a flicker of envy for them.

"Everything looks perfect." Mr. Aizen's voice called her back from her thoughts.

Rukia nodded without enthusiasm, going for her silverware despite her utter lack of appetite. She reminded herself that, appetite or not, it was better for her and everyone to be too engaged in eating to be able to carry any conversation longer than two or three words. With that in mind, she dug in.

It seemed the food was not enough to keep _everyone_ quiet.

"Excellent." Mr. Aizen remarked as he took a single bite with a show of finesse that she couldn't tell whether it was meant to impress or somehow intimidate. "Tonight's chef must be congratulated." There were some grunts of what she assumed to be general agreement from the others, but no one else seemed too eager to make further comment. Mr. Aizen was, however, a very persistent man, if nothing else. "Rukia," he turned his attention towards her yet again, and she had to resist the impulse to groan audibly. "Would you not say so as well?"

Gulping down a bite with a bit more effort than necessary, Rukia assented. "It's very good."

"Indeed." He nodded, clearly pleased. "But this meal is not the work of a single chef, you know. A kitchen needs many in order to function properly, and manage such satisfactory work."

Rukia's hands slowed in the middle of the process of slicing a peace of tender white meat as she listened, his words beginning to edge into something recently familiar.

"Even if one of the waitresses who brings us our food were to disregard her duties," he continued. "Our enjoyment of this dinner would be sullied. You understand what this all leads back to, don't you?"

"Ah, the principle of the working clock."

She had started to open her mouth to answer, but one of the men sitting near the opposite end of the table beat her to it. It was another of the group who stood out for his rather conspicuous hair color; in contrast to Grimmjow's electric blue, however, this man had bubblegum pink hair that contrasted with his nearly yellow eyes. He was, Rukia decided, probably the strangest in this group of oddities.

"Quite an appropriate metaphor, if I may say so, Sir." The man continued, smiling with almost sly enjoyment as he seemingly mused over Mr. Aizen's words.

Mr. Aizen did not look quite as pleased at his contribution, but the flash of irritation was hurriedly buried as he returned his gaze to Rukia. "Tell me, Rukia. Do you see how a single person can affect an entire body of people?"

Her hand tightened involuntarily around her fork. She hesitated for a moment before finally looking up to meet Mr. Aizen's eyes directly. "Forgive me, Sir." She spoke in a clipped voice, no longer trying to lace any semblance of politeness into her tone despite her careful words. "I don't see why you must insist on this so persistently."

The way the corner of his mouth curled upwards just a fraction could have been enough to send a shiver down her spine, but now it did not affect her. She countered his smile with hard eyes and sheer refusal to allow him any more power over her.

"You are a smart woman, Rukia." he said, gleaming eyes not once leaving hers. "You are correct in dismissing my riddles, we should be above such things. I do have a reason for speaking to you of this so, _persistently, _as you said."

She felt her shoulders tense with the turn the conversation was quickly taking. When his next words came out, she felt as if a cold hand had gripped her heart, but she was not surprised in the least.

"How much do you truly know about Ichigo Kurosaki?"

-x-

Ichigo bounded up the stairs to Rukia's apartment two at a time, not pausing to catch his breath even as he cleared the three floors in record time. He all but slammed his body against the exit door and he was bolting down the hallway before it had so much as managed to swing shut.

It felt good to be able to run. He had spent too long in that plane, too long inside the cab afterwards, helpless to the slowness of it all. It had seemed to him that the yellow car was going in slow motion as it moved with the traffic, and he was sure that if not because he had thrown at least three quarters of the contents of his wallet at the driver halfway there, he would have been kicked out onto the road long before he ever made it to his destination. The moment he had exited the cab had felt like being released from chains, and he had sprinted away without even knowing if he took a second to throw the car door shut behind him. He hadn't cared enough to look back and notice. All he knew was that he _had_ to move, and so, he did.

When he reached the door with the '342' on it, he pounded on it so harshly that, had the person that lived inside been there next to him, she would have scolded him and probably hit him for practically blowing it off its hinges.

No such scolding came, however. And with the silence that seemed frighteningly empty on the other side of the wooden door, Ichigo felt a weight drop into his stomach.

He did not stop to let it take its toll though, and without another spared thought, he shoved his hands into his pockets and shortly after produced his greatly emptied wallet, and from it, the flat little rectangle that had gotten him out of countless situations before. Wasting no time to reminisce, he bent over and set to work sliding the credit card into the slight crack between door and frame and employed some of his less noble skills. Maybe a minute later, he heard the satisfying click and allowed himself a quick grin as the door creaked open to Rukia's modest apartment.

The grin dropped from his face as fast as it had come though, as his eyes roamed over the place. It didn't look much different from the last time he had been there: small, almost bare of decoration, clean but almost sterile. At first glance, it didn't look like Rukia at all. But now, he could see her; in the carelessly thrown blanket on the couch where she would sit and watch television late at night, and in the magazine left open on the coffee table to a dog-eared page displaying a series of that rabbit cartoon's merchandise, even in the couch cushions that were tilted just so for her to recline back with the maximum level of comfort by her standards…

But for every place he saw her in, the sense of foreboding emptiness only grew within him. He scanned the area, going over to her room, having retained a glimmer of hope that perhaps she had gone to bed already and was out like a light; only to have that hope extinguished like a flame when he walked in and found her bed perfectly made, clearly not slept in tonight. He slumped against the wall, running his hands through his hair as he tried to quiet down the racing thoughts that threatened to quickly overwhelm him.

Taking deep, steadying breaths, he let his eyes inspect his surroundings. He paused at the sight of the open closet, where the hangers had been pushed to the side as if to search for something. Straightening, he looked around the rest of the room and found that her jewelry box had been left open on the dresser, and there was a hanger left on the floor.

_She left,_ he gathered rapidly. Wherever she was, he realized with reassurance, she had gone of her own volition -if he was correct in reading the signs around the room that he was almost sure meant she had been getting ready for something-. But where could she have gone?

He thought of all the restaurants they frequented, the stores she liked to visit -did she have anything she had needed to buy recently?-, or perhaps she was visiting someone -was it any of their friends' birthdays? He was always so bad at remembering…-.

The question frenzy in his mind was brought to a halt by the sound of a phone ringing, piercing in the silence of the apartment. He didn't hesitate to rush out of the room and bound across the living room where the home telephone was ringing with consistent urgency. Ichigo all but yanked it out of the receiver and pressed it against his ear with his eyes going wild with eagerness.

"Rukia!" He yelled before he could allow logic to remind him that it was pretty unlikely that she would be calling her own home.

There was a beat of ominous silence on the other end before a deep voice asked commandingly, _"Who is this?"_

Ichigo blanched. That voice, that tone that was so bitingly cold that it felt like dry ice… He had heard that before. He could never forget it.

"B-Byakuya?"

The man on the line made a sound that was something like a grunt, that he took as confirmation, before repeating, more sharply this time, _"Who is this?"_

It took Ichigo a moment to gather his wits and form the appropriate response. "It's Ichigo Kurosaki. We've met before." His tone of voice was tight, though he kept it up to the proper level that he was sure would most likely irritate the other man faster.

"_Of course." _Byakuya said. _"I remember _you." The way he all but spat that out made it quite clear that he wasn't what the rich man considered a _pleasant_ memory.

Ichigo scoffed. "Look, I don't have time for your show of noble pride, or whatever," he dropped the semblance of propriety. "I have other matters to take care of, so if you'll excuse me-"

"_Kurosaki," _Byakuya's voice cut him off like shards of ice. _"I will look over your unsolicited presence in my sister's apartment for the time being, if you would allow me to speak with her immediately."_

Ichigo's voice was stiff as he replied to that. "She's not here."

There was another beat of silence, this one feeling eerily still- like it was just barely covering a brewing storm beneath the surface. _"I see. Would I be correct in assuming that you know of her whereabouts?"_

His fist clenched almost painfully at his side. "No."

He waited for a response for a long time; he had started to wonder if Byakuya had hung up at some point, when the man's controlled voice spoke again through a slight cackle of static.

"_Stay where you are, Kurosaki."_

"What?" Ichigo sputtered, a flurry of refusal on his tongue instantly and nearly spilling out before Byakuya went on with disturbing calm.

"_You will do as I say." _He said in a way that left no room for discussion whatsoever, with the practice that could only come from years and years of having hordes of others ready to obey your every whim.

Ichigo was not so easily commanded. But he had barely managed to open his mouth to voice this, when Byakuya's next words made him shut up for once.

"_I will find out where Rukia is."_

He was left blinking dumbly as the line went dead without another word.

_-_x-

Mr. Aizen sat perfectly still, not so much as an eyebrow twitching as he waited for her to answer.

"I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean." she replied, keeping her voice calm.

Mr. Aizen tilted his head, eyes glinting bemusedly. "Is that so? Come now, Rukia. There is no need to play dumb. How much do you truly know about this man?"

Sensing a push behind his words that would not allow for more evasiveness, she finally settled for shrugging. "I know all I need to know."

Mr. Aizen did laugh this time, and he was joined by some of the more boisterous members of the party.

"Ain't that sweet?" Grimmjow remarked, grinning as he eyed her again. Mr. Aizen shot him a silencing look, and all laughter seized as people returned to their meals.

Rukia's dinner was left to get cold. Her eyes remained locked to Mr. Aizen's, unwilling to back away.

"What a shame, that someone like you would be so easily swayed by a man." Mr. Aizen said in what sounded like mock regret. "Have you truly never been curious about him? Did he ever tell you about his past, Rukia?"

Her eyes narrowed, but she stayed quiet.

"I see." Mr. Aizen nodded to himself, as if confirming something. "I suppose he has told you some things that would, perhaps, reflect badly on others, such as myself. It's understandable that you would be suspicious of me. You have been left with little choice in the matter. Am I correct?" he looked at her, his expression fixed into that calm, almost kind façade that she was all too used to seeing on him. "But tell me, Rukia. Has he ever spoken to you of his own past deeds? Or has he mislead you to believe in the whole goodness of his person?"

Rukia's eyebrows knitted closer together, perspiration beginning to form on her forehead as her thoughts whirled together, trying to read the course that the man before her was trying to take her on. Despite his questions, she was not allowed a chance to reply before he continued in the same, deceivingly easy demeanor.

"Mr. Kurosaki had joined the police academy before entering the world of journalism, did he ever share that with you?" Mr. Aizen looked at her, one eyebrow slightly raised.

"He did, in fact." She answered with a small trace of smugness in her voice, that she was sure Mr. Aizen detected by the way both of his eyebrows went up now.

"But he never told you why he left." He said knowingly, and she cursed the fact that she could say nothing to prove him wrong there. "We only share that about ourselves which serves to craft the reality that we want others to see of us."

"I don't see your point." she said flatly.

"Ichigo Kurosaki has done things that would go against the idea that you have constructed for yourself of him." He explained with exceeding serenity. "People were hurt because of him, and that is something he is only running away from with this meaningless goose chase he has set himself on, careless of those he drags down with him."

That made Rukia snap. "That's absurd!" She declared, forgetting her place, and the current situation. Whatever her rational mind was telling her was drowned out by the anger boiling her veins at the implications that Mr. Aizen was making. "Ichigo would never-!"

"What makes you so sure?" The man cut her off smoothly, unperturbed by her outburst. "Admiration, Rukia, is the furthest thing from understanding."

-x-

Ichigo paced inside of Rukia's apartment so furtively that he was sure he would be leaving tracks beneath his feet soon enough. It was a wonder he hadn't already fallen through to the floor bellow.

For the past half hour, he had been using every last bit of battery left in his phone to call every living soul that he thought might know of Rukia's whereabouts. Rangiku, Orihime, Kaien… Hell, he even called that white-haired shrimp and his gossip-central girlfriend. Not one damn person had the slightest idea of where she was, other than some very unhelpful (and irritatingly recurring) _"__Did you check in her apartment?"_

Equal parts frustration and desperation had eventually driven him to where he never would have gone under any other circumstance, and he called Urahara. Which, of course, led to absolutely nowhere more productive than each of his previous calls.

He was just on the verge of simply grabbing his coat and taking off to search every last damn corner of Karakura town himself, when the landline rang in the living room for the second time since he had arrived. It didn't get to ring twice before he answered with a far-from-polite "You better have some very good news for me or so help me _God.._."

A long, heavy pause went by before, _"I believe I have news, though whether they are good or not is undecided. But speak to me again in such a manner, and I can promise you that you _will _be needing divine assistance."_

A bolt of irrational terror at that voice, then deep annoyance mixed with defiance at the threat, and finally a blossoming flower of hope as the entirety of the other man's words settled in all flashed through Ichigo in the miraculously short amount of time it took him to reply. "What is it?"

"_Come down."_

His eyebrows furrowed, his neck twisting to look around him in senseless confusion. "What are-?"

"_I said to come down," _the voice interrupted coolly. _"__I will not repeat myself again."_

Choosing not to question the mildly frightening voice again, Ichigo did something he rarely ever did: swallowed back his pride and ego and did as he was told. Two minutes later he stood on the sidewalk right in front of Rukia's apartment complex, and he only had to look around for a moment before the proverbial sore thumb stuck out to him.

A long, sleek black limousine was parked in the middle of the otherwise modest street -very illegally so, but then again, who would question the person able to afford transportation like _that?-._ He walked up to the vehicle and stared at his reflection on the dark tinted window for a second before it mechanically rolled down and revealed the much more disconcerting face of Byakuya Kuchiki.

"Get in."

The simple command left the pristine man's lips as effortless as they were irrefutable. Any other time, Ichigo's immediate, knee-jerk reaction would have been to scoff and snap at the man who dared speak down to him like that, but circumstances called for an adjustment of attitude. It wasn't without great -Herculean, in his opinion- effort that he managed to take in one deep, _deep_ breath and, without a word, made his way around to the other side of the ridiculously out of place car and let himself in.

Ichigo remembered that only a few hours ago he had experienced what he had then believed to be the most torturous minutes of his life in the cruelly confined space of a backseat with Gin Ichimaru. Now, despite the considerably larger spaces of a limousine as opposed to a cab, he fancied himself wrong on that original impression.

Because, without a shred of a doubt, sharing a backseat with Byakuya was truly the most cruel and unusual punishment a man could ever experience.

"Hn." The silence was first broken, shockingly, by Byakuya's grunt. "Truly, what manners. Has no one taught you to greet people upon entering their property?"

Ichigo, who already sat as tense as a statue on the leather seat, grit his teeth against the sharp reply that was at his tongue in an instant. Instead, he settled for a much less obscene, greatly courteous -given everything-, "You didn't ask me here to reprimand my poor manners, did you?"

Eyes as gray and hard as steel flickered on to him; there seemed to be a retort built up in those scalding irises as well, but the older man managed to retain his own composure. "I did not."

Ichigo's annoyance grew minimally at noticing how refined and dignified Byakuya Kuchiki had managed to sound despite his obvious distaste, as opposed to himself, who had just barely managed to keep a reign on his quickly growing temper.

"Where are we going?" Ichigo asked just as the vehicle began moving without his consent. Daring another glance at the dark-haired man beside him, he suddenly wondered if perhaps he was driving him to a secluded area where no one would hear him scream.

"To get Rukia." Byakuya's simplistic answer cut off his morbid train of thought and snapped him into attention like flipping a switch. "I was under the impression that you were interested in her whereabouts, am I wrong?"

No longer caring about the man's mightier-than-thou attitude, Ichigo now fought to restrain himself from jumping out of his seat as he whirled on Byakuya. "Where is she? Did you talk to her? Is she-?"

"I would appreciate it," Byakuya interrupted with another chilling gaze. "-if you allowed me to finish explaining before speaking."

Though the urge to kick that superior attitude right off his face made Ichigo's fingers twitch, he managed to stay completely silent this time as he nodded for him to go on.

"I have been informed that Rukia is attending a dinner tonight with one Sosuke Aizen, chief editor of Seretei Daily." Byakuya's words made quick work of confirming the fear that had been bubbling up inside him but that he had managed to hold at bay ever since his conversation with Ichimaru. He kept his reactions firmly under control though, and listened on. "It seems the man picked her up at her apartment earlier tonight and, if my source is correct, they are already at the Hogyoku restaurant."

After a pause that assured him he was free to speak again, Ichigo jumped to the question at the forefront of his mind. "How far is it?"

Byakuya's steel gray eyes searched his own, unrelenting gaze for a moment, though Ichigo couldn't tell what he was searching for, if anything. When he looked away, he thought he had seen something like approval flicker in those implacable orbs. The man spoke in a voice that betrayed no emotion when answering him. "We should be there in twenty minutes."

Knowing that it was no use to demand anything faster than that -and that, by himself, he probably had no better chance either- Ichigo settled into a more comfortable position as he accommodated himself for the ride. Despite the excess room, he felt stifled and restless; he was no longer entirely sure that it was all due to the presence of the businessman with him.

It could have been five or ten minutes of awkward fidgeting later, which felt like at least half an hour to Ichigo, that he couldn't take the silence anymore and asked something else that had popped into his mind along the way. "Who is this source of yours that knows about Rukia?"

Sure enough, Ichigo had reasoned, Byakuya Kuchiki certainly did not lack the connections or the means to get basically anything he ever desired, but as they had rode on, the question had kept prodding him. He had asked the people most likely to know about where Rukia would be, and not one of them knew. Who else could Byakuya possibly have found?

"Kaname Tosen." He answered without turning to Ichigo, whose jaw fell at the name. "I believe you have met him already."

"How did-" Ichigo's brow furrowed deeper. "That's impossible! We went to talk to him and he wouldn't say a thing!"

At this, Byakuya did turn to look at him, raising one perfectly trimmed black eyebrow. "I am sorry to disappoint you, Kurosaki. But you are an amateur when it comes to handling a situation such as this. It all comes down to the art of good negotiation."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes at him with a note of accusation. "You _bribed_ him?"

Byakuya looked away, unruffled. "As I said, it is mere negotiations. All in good business." He pulled on his tie as he spoke, as if fixing it despite the already spotless condition of his entire outfit, and if Ichigo didn't know any better, he'd have said he saw the corner of the man's mouth twitch ever so slightly.

The orange-haired man did not fall silent with that. Folding his arms over his chest, he asked, "And how do you know we can trust what this guy says? Last time I checked, he was still Aizen's loyal puppy dog."

Gray eyes flashed with barely subdued annoyance. "Rest assured, that my methods of investigation are nothing but _thorough."_

"How do you figure that?"

"Would you like to test their effectiveness yourself?" Byakuya looked at him with the challenge shining in his eyes. "I would be nothing but happy to arrange it."

Ichigo fell quiet with that, but not before twisting his face into a hard scowl and sliding down his seat like a petulant boy. He didn't say anything for a long time, but finally, almost quietly, he asked, "Why did you tell me?"

Byakuya's face didn't change, and he showed no visible signs of having even heard him. Ichigo was pondering just acting like he hadn't said anything, when the man said, "Despite your uncouth attitude and questionable manners, your concern for Rukia is genuine, is it not?"

"Of course!"

"Then I suppose you are a necessary nuisance."

Ichigo blinked, his mind somewhat fuzzy from Byakuya's roundabout way of explaining away his streak of solidarity. He scoffed, caught between annoyance and gratefulness towards the man. He didn't bother breaking the silence for the rest of the ride.

It was an unspeakable relief when, after what felt like ages, the limousine pulled up on the side of a street into a full stop. Ichigo was already reaching out for the door handle when a sudden thought stopped him.

"Are we parked at the entrance?" He turned to look back at the stoic man.

Byakuya, in turn, gave him a look that said _'Where else would we be?'_

Ichigo's hand retreated from its trajectory. "Tell your driver to go down the street." Upon seeing Byakuya's expression already preparedto deny his request, he added, "From the sound of things, wouldn't Aizen be looking to keep this whole dinner as something discreet?" The dark-haired man looked at him expectantly. "I don't think two random people just walking up into the restaurant he's in will go unnoticed. No matter how much you bribe them." He gave the other passenger a pointed look, hoping that he wouldn't have to waste much more time with explanations.

He didn't. Without a word of scorn or a single nod of agreement, Byakuya slipped a slender cell phone out of an inner pocket in his suit and relayed Ichigo's instruction without ado. Ichigo felt himself relax slightly as the car lurched forward once more.

"What do you propose we do?" Byakuya surprised him by asking as they slowly moved away between the scattered cars lining both sides of the street. A few restaurants and stores took up the sidewalks, the latter flaunting their merchandise behind large glass lit up windows. The place looked like one of the less busy streets in town, and during a weeknight, it was close to a ghost town at that hour.

Ichigo, after recovering from the shock of having Byakuya essentially hand over the reigns to him -and of his own will too-, focused on taking in what he could make out of their surroundings through the dark window with closely knitted eyebrows, pensive as he mulled over the question that he had, of course, asked himself before Byakuya ever did.

"I have an idea." Was all he said, glancing over at his unexpected accomplice.

-x-

"Do you know why I'm telling you all this?" Mr. Aizen inquired suddenly.

Rukia blinked in surprise at the question. She didn't get a chance to conjure up an answer though.

"It's because I want your help." He said, and it was certainly not what she was expecting to hear; she couldn't help the slight widening of her eyes. "Ichigo Kurosaki… He is, how shall I put it?" He paused as if to ponder his own question, then settled on, "Misguided. He seeks atonement, but he is merely on a road leading him back to his old mistakes. And it has already led to innocent people getting hurt."

Her mind flashed to that day at the hospital. Ichigo's friend who had been shot; Ichigo's guilt.

"I am only trying to save him and those around him from his own mistakes." Mr. Aizen's voice reached her ears, even as her mind was filled with the images his words had invoked. "I want to prevent more unnecessary harm. I want to help him." His face returned to focus just as his smile broadened. "You care for him, don't you? Don't you wish to help him?"

The question lingered and Rukia felt as if she had been put under a spotlight. The silence that followed it was thick, filled with expectation and anticipation, and her own, too loud heartbeat. It was broken by a short, raspy kind of sound. It registered belatedly as someone's laugh.

Rukia turned away from Mr. Aizen's appraising eyes to look down the table in the direction that the sound had come from, and her gaze landed on a figure that she had paid no mind to up until that point. In the midst of all the loud voices, bright hair colors and overall eerie appearances, the man hunched up on the far corner of the table, three seats down from hers, had gone almost entirely unnoticed. Leaning forward to be able to look past the people between them, she could get a pretty good idea of the man's bulky build, but most of his features were shadowed in the dimmed lighting, and his curved posture only hid his face further from her sight. Even so, a spark of familiarity shot through her when she glimpsed his hard profile, and the chestnut-colored hair brushing against tanned skin… The feeling was almost like that of déjà vu.

She wanted to stare more closely at him until she could place that familiar feeling, but Mr. Aizen clearing his throat returned her attention to her left.

"Rukia." He looked at her with an expression of utmost sincerity, almost profoundly searching for the answer he wanted. "I would be so glad if you could just cooperate. All I need is a simple 'yes'."

She swallowed forcibly. The way he looked at her… The way everyone else pretended to look away, but glanced from the corners of their eyes… The room had gone terribly still at some point in the conversation, and Rukia could recognize it for what it was: the calm before the storm.

Everyone was waiting for her answer. But she knew, with the certainty of the most primal instinct, that her answer would not matter in the end.

Her nails dug into the palms of her hands, a feeling of irrational claustrophobia tightening like a noose around her throat. "I-"

She wasn't sure what she was about to say, but she never got the chance to say it. In that instant, the door leading to the kitchen burst open and one of the waiters clad in white wheeled an empty cart in and started grabbing the emptied plates from the table, unceremoniously piling them unto the cart. Grateful for the temporary reprieve, Rukia switched her attention to the waiter's movements, unspeakably glad for any sort of distraction.

The waiter was a man this time, instead of the two girls from before, but he worked just as silently, if a little more clumsily while he let the plates clatter loudly every time he tossed them on top of each other. She wondered if he too was as young as the girls had been, but his face was mostly hidden by a scarf that, judging by their previous waitresses, was not part of the regular uniform, and he kept his gaze downcast, where she couldn't see his eyes; even his hair was hidden under a tight cap.

When he came around to her side of the table, Mr. Aizen fixed his gaze on the waiter. "I was not finished." He spoke coolly, in a wholly different voice from the one he had used with her just seconds prior, and his brown eyes were narrowed as he looked at the man who had been reaching for his half full plate.

"Sorry." The waiter mumbled almost unintelligibly, the sound warped further by the scarf and the fact that he kept his face lowered as he spoke. He made an awkward gesture that somewhat resembled a bow as he retreated and moved towards Rukia. He muttered something that sounded like "Done?" and started to grab her still mostly full plate.

She moved to slap his hand away reflexively, vexed at the sudden thought of having what would soon be her only remaining form of stalling taken away, when the waiter raised his face at an angle where the light caught his eyes and she could get a proper look at them for the first time.

The words she had been about to say died at her throat and her hand, previously poised to smack him, froze in midair. She would know those eyes the color of dark honey anywhere.

His gaze met hers for a split second, and all she could see was herself reflected in the depths of those painfully familiar irises. Then he broke the contact and went about finishing his task without another word. Rukia didn't even protest when he took away her uneaten dish.

He did not look at her again, but her gaze never left him as he finished rounding up the last of the plates with meticulous slowness. When he was done, she waited with baited breath to see him exit back through the kitchen door.

He was agonizingly slow, and that was why it was possible for her to realize what he was doing just a moment before he did. He moved around the now filled cart and made as if to push the door open with one seemingly casual movement; but his arm, having been brought around in a what appeared to be a careless gesture, in an arc that was just a little too low, never made contact with the surface of the door.

Half the pile of stacked up plates and glasses went tumbling down in a mess of crashing sounds, soon joined by the cusses of some of the more easily startled men in the room.

"My bad." The waiter muttered with a slight shrug, and started to bend in order to clean up the mess. Still in a half squat, the amber light in the room glinted off his eyes as they lifted and found hers. They locked gazes in a moment of what seemed like slow motion, when unspoken understanding flashed between them.

Just as suddenly, her senses burst back into speed as she all but jumped to her feet. "I'll help with that!"

She didn't wait long enough to hear the immediate response that Mr. Aizen would surely give, and moved swiftly to cross the distance to the kneeling waiter, whose cap had shifted ever so slightly by then and allowed just a glimpse of orange hair to peek through. She felt as if she were moving through a tunnel, and it was all she could do to stop herself from reaching out when she was only a couple of feet away…

But she never made it. A noise of strangled surprise escaped her throat as she felt an iron grip on her arm tug her back so sharply, for a moment she thought her arm would come right out of her socket. She stumbled backwards from the surprise and the force, and fell right into what felt like a wall of stone.

"Where do you think you're going, girlie?" A voice that rumbled from the chest behind her like a mounting earthquake made her twist around to find herself facing the man that had remained partially hidden in shadows throughout the duration of the dinner. His chestnut hair fell around his face and just over his eyes, but she could see him clearly now.

Beady dark eyes, scars running over the length of his prominent cheekbones and marring the brown skin, those thick lips curved into a smile that held no easiness… Of course he was familiar. She had seen that man at least a hundred times before; on television, in newspapers, on ripped up flyers. He was nothing short of famous.

"Rukia," That was Mr. Aizen's voice, but she couldn't see him, or anyone, past the fortress that was her captor. "Pardon me for not having introduced you earlier, but I believe you are familiar with the man they call Grand Fisher."

Ice shot through her veins as the man, Grand Fisher without a doubt, looked down at her with a widening smile, his eyes gleaming like those of a wolf: bright with hunger. A shudder ran through her just as she heard what could only be described as a roar behind her.

She turned just in time to see the waiter lunge himself towards her and Grand Fisher, arms already extending in preparation for a confrontation that never came. In the blink of an eye, Grimmjow and the dark-haired man with large green eyes were behind him, restraining him by the arms. The man struggled for a moment before something silver glinted by his neck. Rukia barely choked back a shout when she saw the knife in the green-eyed man's hand, pressed just under the folds of the scarf.

"Ulquiorra?" The muffled voice came from under the scarf as the waiter stared up at the dark-haired man with wide eyes, his voice portraying something between recognition and awe.

Rukia shoved hard against the hold that Grand Fisher had on her, but instead of loosening, it tightened until she was sure she could feel her skin bruising, and his other arm came around her to press her back against his body and pin her in place. She couldn't move and didn't dare speak as Mr. Aizen stepped into her line of vision, walking just past her and towards the immobilized man, whose eyes, still the only feature clearly visible of his face, now burned holes into the approaching chief editor.

"Ichigo Kurosaki." Mr. Aizen spoke in a clear voice. He stood between her and the man he addressed, his back to her so she couldn't see his expression; but she didn't detect even a small hint of surprise in his tone. "How nice of you to join us. I would be grateful though, if you could behave in a civilized manner for a moment. We're all adults here, after all."

* * *

**A/N: Another little bit of a cliffie... Bear with me, we're almost done! Oh and as this turned out longer than I expected, this story will reach 23 chapters, which is my favorite number, which means YAY! Umm, please excuse the randomness. Lack of sleep, end of college semester, and the climax of this story are taking their toll xD**

**To my beloved reviewers: _Rukie Martinez, OnepieceX3, FacingLoveEmbracingMelody, Ilyana Irvine, pamianime, mafiea, TruantPony, KurosakiCrystal18, SuperRukia, Cisusi, Luna21VW, KitElizaKing, SamanthaEscalante, Shaybo27, shnizlefritz, chineschopsticks, gahby, Mokimoki-chan, novicestar, _and_ MushroomNatsu- _Thank you all very much!  
**

**I hope this chapter was to your enjoyment :)  
**


	22. The Unspoken pt 2

Ichigo could feel his eyes all but jump out of his sockets, and he probably would have stepped back from the coolly smiling man standing before him if not for the unshakeable grasps on his arms, and the ominous presence of the knife by his throat. He couldn't feel its sharp edge against his skin thanks to the scarf, but he was pretty sure a little cloth wouldn't put much resistance if Ulquiorra decided to test it.

So much for his plan. Anger and frustration welled up inside him and he shook off the portion of the forcibly loaned scarf that covered the bottom half of his face; there was no point in hiding anymore.

He should have guessed that someone like Aizen wouldn't be so easily outdone. But even so, he had allowed himself to hope. After Byakuya had ordered his chauffer to station the conspicuous automobile a block away, Ichigo had rushed back on foot to the Hogyoku restaurant, while Byakuya -after some convincing- had stayed nearby, ready to act if anything went wrong.

Ichigo had avoided the front entrance of the uppity restaurant, ducking into the alley that led to the back entrance of the kitchen instead. There, he had waited behind the dumpster until he had nearly turned blue from holding his breath so long, when finally one of the waiters had stepped out of the back door, heaving a couple of overly stuffed bags towards his hiding point. The man had barely had time to toss out the garbage before Ichigo jumped him: he didn't know what hit him. To his unbelievable luck, the man had already been donning the odd scarf to cover his face and the cap that would serve to conceal his own shocking hair; after stripping the unconscious waiter, he could immediately see the reason for such conservative wear: the man's face was gruesomely disfigured. Whether it was an ailment he had suffered from birth or something he had gained in a crueler manner, he didn't know, but he didn't stick around to find out.

Inside the kitchen people had swarmed him with orders and addressed him with a name that sounded like _"_Aaro-"… _something. _Taking care to keep his face and hair concealed, he had little choice but to play along with the role, figuring that he could just as well use the chance to scan out the premises and see where Aizen and Rukia were. His lucky streak had seemed to reach its end though, because after going through the entirety of the dining area playing the role of the well-mannered waiter, he hadn't managed to spot either of them anywhere. It was only after what he considered too much time of a crash-course in waiting tables that he finally noticed a couple of waitresses exit the kitchen through a door that was almost strategically hidden in a cluttered corner; while the door was open to allow the girls passage, he got a glimpse of the full table in what appeared to be a closed off room, most likely reserved for private parties. One quick peek later once the waitresses were done delivering the plates of dinner confirmed his suspicion: Aizen was there. And sitting beside him, was Rukia.

Then it had just been a matter of bidding his time; his first instinct had been, of course, to burst in and get her out of there, but that would have made all his stealth useless. So he waited until the opportune moment. He was careful. He was smart about it.

And yet, here he was: arms held behind him and a knife pressed against his throat. And Rukia…

"How'd you know?" Ichigo spoke through gritted teeth in a tightly controlled voice, attempting to keep the looming despair at bay.

Aizen chuckled bemusedly. "I wouldn't have made it to where I am if I lacked the capacity to foresee every possibility and prepare for it." Cunning brown eyes met his glare evenly. "I had been wondering when Gin would take action. No matter. Won't be a problem for long."

Ichigo was sure that if he had eaten anything he would've had to fight down the bile that would have risen at those words. "You bastard." He spat incredulously. "Your own comrade?"

Aizen's smile widened into what would be more accurately described as a full on grin. "How interesting, that you should be the one to pretend to lecture me on camaraderie."

He went cold, his expression turning stony. "_You_…"

"From your expression, I gather that you did not imagine I might be privy to any of your past endeavors. It's rather amusing that you assumed you were the only one with information." Aizen looked down at him condescendingly. "I know all about you, Ichigo Kurosaki. I have known you since you were a child."

"Wha…" Ichigo's widened eyes narrowed just as quickly. "What the hell are you talking about?" He thrashed against the restraining hands, the blade by his throat forgotten in the heat of rising confusion and anger.

Aizen lifted one silencing finger. "Do not raise your voice, Ichigo." There was but a minimal narrowing of those piercing brown eyes, but the message was clear beneath the placid smile that continued to etch his features. "Honestly, this should not be coming as such a big surprise to you."

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked, tired of the man's taunting remarks.

"For someone who is out for vengeance, you are astoundingly ignorant." Aizen shook his head as if in regret, or disappointment. Ichigo sneered. "Have you never once asked yourself, why your mother was killed?"

At the explicit mention of his mother, Ichigo shoved with more force at the restraining arms, thinking only of ways to wipe that smug look right off of Aizen's face, but Ulquiorra and the blue-haired guy held strong. "She was murdered by _you!" _he snarled, a burst of fury both from Aizen's words and his own present helplessness turning his vision red.

"Was she?" Aizen replied, unruffled. "That day, Masaki Kurosaki was not meant to die."

Ichigo began to feel sick. Despite his every cell screaming for him not to listen, something about Aizen's words rang within deep inside and coaxed him to pay attention.

"It was you, Ichigo." Aizen finally said the words that he had already, somehow anticipated, but fought every instinct to accept. "It was always you. Grand Fisher was meant to kill _you_ that day, but she died to protect you. All these years you have been blaming me, but it was you who killed her, in the end."

Ichigo couldn't think. His eyes were wide and staring down at nothing, his breathing was hard and his pulse was rushing in his ears as his heart pounded almost painfully against his ribcage. He wanted to scream, to curse, to run away until his legs gave out and he collapsed, ending what could only be a terrifying nightmare. But as his head spun with rage, grief, and self-hatred, it wasn't his own voice that he heard breaking the silence.

"You're despicable!"

The single, raw accusation shifted all the attention in the room to the small, dark-haired woman who looked tinier than ever in the hold of that boulder of a man, but whose fiery expression -and apparent unawareness of the man caging her- defiantly challenged anyone to cross her. Aizen turned to look at her as the smile dropped from his face, and Ichigo was allowed a better view of the woman. She wasn't looking at him.

"How _dare_ you?" Her usually dark purple eyes seemed to glow a piercing blue-violet as she glared coldly at the man standing between her and Ichigo. "To act so nonchalantly about such horrible crimes, and then,-!" She seemed to hesitate, unable to find words strong enough to describe him. She settled for shaking her head, straightening as well as she could and somehow, despite her height and her position, managing to look _down_ at Aizen. "You're so _low_."

Ichigo caught sight of a slight twitch of Aizen's mouth, a tear in his façade, but it was almost immediately replaced by a look of practiced indifference nearing sheer boredom as he gave a subtle nod towards Grand Fisher.

"Rukia!" He yelled as he saw Grand Fisher move to slide one thick arm around her suddenly much too fragile neck.

Rukia gagged and she brought her hands up to claw at the choking hold, but from the looks of it she was barely doing more than tickling the currently smiling man. In fact, Ichigo could see his lips curving into a smirk that read of casual enjoyment.

Forgetting everything else, he jumped into motion. He moved faster than he thought himself capable of, and it took his captors a fraction too long to react, allowing him to twist free with nothing but a slightly stinging scrape from the knife that was wielded too slowly. The scarf and cap were discarded in one swift motion and his fist was already pulled back, ready to strike at the man whom he ran to at full speed.

A short clicking sound brought him to a stop in mid-motion. He looked over his shoulder and stared at Ulquiorra, whose eyes showed as much feeling as ever, and who currently held a sleek silver gun leveled at his head. The room seemed to hum with the increased tension with the revelation of the firearm; for a few stretched out seconds, no one moved or said anything. Ichigo was almost certain that no one was even breathing.

"I do not believe Mr. Aizen was quite finished talking." Ulquiorra spoke in what sounded like a bored voice, but the hand aiming the gun was steady.

The skinny, pale man was just as Ichigo remembered him. Cold and emotionless. The man was just as much a walking stone as he had been when he had known him in college. Back then he had only seen the guy once or twice because of his odd (inexplicable, in his opinion) friendship with Orihime; for him, the fewer they met, the better. Then Ulquiorra had just disappeared one day, without warning and seemingly without trace. Orihime had tried endlessly to find a way to contact him, but eventually she'd given up on the seemingly hopeless search.

He might have laughed at the cosmic irony of them meeting up again like this. The humor waned, however, with the knowledge of having a gun pointed at your face.

"Look, Ulquiorra-" He started, resorting diplomacy while his eyes darted back to see Rukia, who was watching the scene with large eyes but seemed unharmed for the moment.

"I don't want to hear it, Kurosaki." There could have been an undercurrent of annoyance in Ulquiorra's voice, but it was hard to tell. He was still for a moment, before he shifted his arm ever so slightly to the side.

Ichigo's whole body went impossibly rigid, his breath coming up short. He turned forward again and his gaze crossed Rukia's. The fear that he saw for the first time in her eyes hit him like a speeding car. He had seen Rukia experience many things, but he had never seen her actually _scared. _But as he read those impossibly vulnerable eyes, he didn't find what he would have expected to find. There was a desperate quality that was almost unrecognizable in her, yes,

but…

"Run!" Her shout tore through the still atmosphere with gut-wrenching urgency. "Get away, Ichigo!"

That's when the other realization struck him, and it was even worse than the first.

She wasn't scared for herself. She had every right to be; she _should_ have been… But all that was

reflected in those eyes was- _himself._

And that shook him to his very core more than anything else had. With the force of that shock, a feeling of focused clarity overcame him.

"Aizen," He spoke in a disturbingly calm voice, keeping his eyes locked on Rukia's pleading orbs for a lingering moment, then turning to the slick-haired man with a set scowl and narrowed eyes. "Let her go. You said yourself before, this is about me. She's got nothing to do with it."

Rukia's instant protests were silenced by Aizen's next statement.

"On the contrary." he said mildly. "Precisely because this is about you, she has everything to do with it. Just like you and Mrs. Kurosaki did all those years ago."

He had been prepared to ignore Aizen's misleading words, but that gave him pause. He could feel the cogwheels in his mind turning, putting two and two together, but the picture that was building up…

"It appears you have figured it out now." Aizen said, watching his changing expression closely. "The real reason your mother died, Ichigo." Aizen let his smile widen fractionally. "It was payment."

-x-

Rukia felt like a lead ball had been dropped on her. If that was the case for her, what Ichigo must have been feeling then, she couldn't begin to describe.

"Ah," Aizen looked at Ichigo approvingly, as if confirming something. "You're not the first Kurosaki to get mixed up in Arrancar business."

"N-No," Ichigo's voice shook, and the sound of it was so unnerving that Rukia winced. "You're lying…"

Beads of sweat ran down Ichigo's face, and his eyes seemed sunken, buried in dark shadows with the force of Aizen's meaning.

"Am I?" Aizen placidly lifted an eyebrow, as if he found Ichigo's reaction a simple curiosity. "You're willing to believe that I'm lying now, even when your every instinct is telling you what you already must have guessed at a long time ago? You're a reporter, you've seen this before and you know it all adds up. Do not attempt to fool yourself."

"No, that can't-"

"But you know in your heart that it _is_ true." Aizen cut in smoothly. "Your mother's life was retribution for the actions of Isshin Kurosaki."

Rukia had to mind herself to keep her jaw from falling wide open.

Isshin Kurosaki. Ichigo's father. The man who had broken into his son's home on a holiday evening and fought him, teased him, yelled boisterously and gotten excited over things that would make most parents cringe. Isshin, with his dramatic cries of anguish and staged tears whenever he was scorned by his son, or equally theatrical tears of joy when his proclaimed 'third daughter' played along with his antics.

Isshin, whom she had only met once but who had given her the warm family welcome that she had longed for most of her life without question.

"Don't listen to him, Ichigo!" She broke into the silence that followed the revelation, eyes focused on Ichigo with all the intensity that she could muster into one look: _don't waver, Ichigo; don't let him shake you. _"Whatever this man says, he is only manipulating things as he likes!"

Aizen turned his attention to her again, looking at her like she was a tiresome pebble in his shoe. "You're quite the naïve little thing, aren't you? Do you truly believe these people incapable of doing wrong?" He gave a slight shake of the head, and, she suspected, had he been the type to, he might have rolled his eyes then. Instead, he only looked straight at her. "Did you think I was lying, when I told you about the circumstances of Ichigo's rather early retirement from the police force?"

Rukia did not immediately turn her gaze away from Aizen's, but from the corner of her eye she could still see Ichigo tense, and his eyes seeking her out. She complied and met his gaze for only a fleeting moment, but it was enough: she saw the emotions swimming in their depths. Pain, guilt, sadness… But most of all, she saw the eyes of a scared boy.

Forcibly ignoring the twisting sensation in her chest, she moved her attention back to Aizen, who seemed to have taken her lack of response as an answer in itself.

"How laughable." He remarked. "Or, should I say, pitiful."

"You're wrong." Rukia replied evenly, as if she wasn't in a room surrounded and being held by notorious -and most likely armed- gang members; as if there wasn't a gun aimed at her forehead. She had the pleasure of seeing Aizen's eyes widen a fraction at her boldness, and it served to spurr her on. Keeping her chin up and her shoulders squared as best as she could manage while caged in the abnormally huge arms, she continued. "That's not what I believe. It's not a matter of not committing wrongs."

In her peripheral vision, she could see that Ichigo was holding on to her words like a drowning man waiting to see if he would be given a boat to rescue him or a dooming anchor. Speaking as much for Aizen's benefit as for his, she said, "It's about the person's heart. Whatever darkness there lies within someone, whatever sins they've committed… As long as their heart remains uncorrupted, then it is alright." She allowed her gaze to flash back to Ichigo's before concluding. "That is strength."

Ichigo's eyes seemed to turn lighter at this, like the foggy darkness was lifted and revealed a hazel color: burning with determination once more. All at once, she felt lighter, and even felt the corners of her mouth curling upwards before the reality of the situation came rushing back with terrifying speed.

"Enough." Aizen declared at last.

Time seemed to slow down after he spoke for Rukia. For one unreal moment, she was vividly aware of everything: Grand Fisher's tall form pressed against her back and his hot breath fanning too close to the top of her head, his arms like stone around her torso but letting up just a bit; Grimmjow shifting ever so subtly into a position with the slightest flexing of the knees, his eyes focused on Ichigo and his arms starting to come up; the soft, sliding sound of chairs being pushed back with careful slowness as the occupants around the table prepared to stand; the downwards curve of Aizen's lips, indicating a grimace that showed clearly in a flash of brown eyes; Ichigo's eyes darting to the brown-haired speaker then back to her, with his intent displayed clearly for her to read in that long, preceding moment.

And she saw the green-eyed man -Ulquiorra's- finger inch towards the trigger of the polished pistol.

"I believe the time for conversing is over." Aizen announced. "Ulquiorra."

There was barely time to register the black-haired male's nod before hell broke loose. Everything burst into motion simultaneously, and Rukia acted in the midst of the chaos on primal instinct. As the people stood from the table and rushed around it, Grimmjow pounced to where Ichigo had stood a second before, Aizen retreated towards the door that led back to the kitchen, Ichigo broke into a run in her direction, and she twisted her slender frame enough so that she could sink her teeth viciously into the sun-browned skin of Grand Fisher's large hand.

While he did not let his arms fall open at her action, the man was still startled and his hold loosened just enough that she could slip her tiny frame through while the element of surprise was on her side. She dropped to the floor and rolled back to her feet almost as quickly, a single word tearing itself from her throat with excruciating weight while her feet worked in the opposite direction as the orange-haired man's.

"_Ichigo!" _

Her scream was accompanied by the loud pop that she had only ever heard in movies before, and before she had a chance to do change her course, Ichigo slammed into her so hard she felt the air knocked out of her, but he did not let that slow them down as he followed the momentum, while she hastily grabbed a hold of the man so that she could twist their bodies around until she was between him and Ulquiorra, even as they tumbled downwards. They crashed on the floor in an unceremonious heap, and she wasted no time shooting up onto her hands and knees to look down at Ichigo.

Everything around them disappeared and she felt the world tilt, her breath hitching when she saw his face twisted in evident pain. "I-Ichigo!" Frantically, she moved to untangle herself from him and kneel beside him. Her eyes darted up and down his form searching for the wound that she had been too slow to prevent, even as she gathered her arms around him to partially lift him off the floor and to her lap as best as she could.

She found the clean hole on the chest of his borrowed uniform but a moment later, and the sound that escaped her was like that of someone being strangled.

"S'alright." Ichigo slurred, the sound of his voice jolting her to look back up at him as her hand came to rest over the torn fabric on his chest.

Words died in her throat as Ichigo's face came in and out of focus, her vision being glazed over by tears that she furiously held back; because crying meant acknowledgement. If she cried, she would be accepting that he…

She did not let the tears fall.

"Rukia," Ichigo gritted out, his brow deeply furrowed in a grimace as he attempted to lift himself up further. "I'm fine."

"Shut up!" She finally yelled, feeling each of his pained assurances pierce a new wound into her chest.

"_Rukia," _Ichigo said more sharply, this time looking up so that his eyes could meet hers. Then she felt his hand come over hers where it lay on his chest, and with a gentle, but firm hold, he moved her hand away and simply said, "Look."

Despite her reluctance to see the undoubtedly fatal wound, the look in his eyes made her assent. Upon seeing the hole again, she was about to yell at him again, but then something registered: the opening was still clean. There was no crimson substance spreading over the pristine white of his waiter getup, no sign of the blood that should have indicated the severity of the injury.

"Wha-?"

Her eyes could only widen as Ichigo moved his hand away from hers and used it to forcefully tear open the top of his uniform, the few upper buttons flying easily off and clattering on the floor. And there she saw, peeking beneath the loaned clothes, the thick black material that had been protecting his torso. It took her a moment to recognize it, and she gaped when she did. "A-"

"Bullet proof vest." Ichigo finished before her, still breathing hard but relaxing as she finally understood. There was a hint of a grin on his lips as he closed his eyes fell limp in her arms. "I'm not that stupid."

There was a moment in which all she could do was blink as her mind caught up, and then…

"You _idiot!" _

Ichigo's calm exterior vanished as the breath wheezed out of him from the tiny fist that struck his gut, followed by those charming words that he was so used to hearing. "Gah! What are you-?"

"Why the hell didn't you tell me?" Rukia glared down at him, feeling the rush of emotions hurtling inside him focus itself into a torrent of anger concentrated on the man in her arms.

"What?" He screeched incredulously. "It's not like I could just walk in here and _advertise_ it! That kinda goes against the whole point!"

"You inconsiderate fool! I should just-!" _Kill you. Kiss you. Hold you and never let go._

She didn't say any of those things, though she felt the desire to do all of them so strongly that she ached with it. Even so, Ichigo must have gotten the gist of it because his eyes suddenly softened, and all she could do was look away before those tears escaped her.

"Rukia…"

Whatever Ichigo was going to say was lost as a grumbling voice reminded them of the presence of the others in the room.

"How touching." Grand Fisher looked down at them with a sneer twisting his ragged features. He looked over at Ulquiorra then. "I think it's time to cut this short before that dinner comes back up on me."

Rukia's heart began pounding wildly in her chest and her arms tightened protectively around Ichigo's dangerously vulnerable form as she looked around and noticed, for the first time, that they were surrounded. Grimmjow and Ulquiorra stood behind them, Grand Fisher before them, and the other dinner guests -the dark-skinned blonde, the pink-haired man with glasses, and a tall slender man with slits for eyes and sleek black hair that fell to his shoulders- had taken positions to form a circle around the two on the floor. Bulletproof vest or not, they were sitting ducks. Helpless.

She stared down the barrel of the gun in Ulquiorra's hand but a moment later. While mentally accepting her inevitable fate, and praying that Ichigo would be spared with her disposal, she barely registered the sound of his very voice calling the green-eyed man's name in a low growl.

"Isn't there even a trace of humanity left in you?" Ichigo stared up at the man with a fierceness that was too strong, too hopeful. She didn't understand why, couldn't hope to figure it out -much less in that moment-, but all questions fled from her mind when she saw the stoic man's body twitch as if to move a step back, and his arm -stretched out and ready to fire- sag the slightest bit. Did she imagine the hesitation in those depthless green eyes?

The hope that blossomed, unbidden, at that was crushed too quickly.

"Oh what the hell's going on?" Grand Fisher burst. "This is taking too long, I'll handle it myself."

Rukia found herself having to use her hold on Ichigo to push him down as he violently tried to lift himself up, all the while keeping her eyes fixed on the wanted criminal approaching with deliberate slowness. A grin was pulling his lips into a smile that showcased too many teeth for it to be any sort of a comforting expression, as he settled his gaze on her.

"Now, who should I start with?" The man mused, standing imposingly over them as his eyes raked her form. "I think I'll try you out first, girlie. Women have always been my favorite."

"You-!" She barely had a chance to pull Ichigo back as he heaved himself up, ready to launch himself on the laughing man before a new, unexpected voice interrupted in a tone that could have melted stone, and that Rukia knew well.

"That will not be necessary."

The room's occupants all whirled to see the man that just strode in through the door that led to the main area of the restaurant. Ebony hair that fell elegantly over shoulders dressed in the finest suit, gray eyes that glinted like cold steel a regal aura that shrouded him like a cloak…

"Brother!" Rukia cried in utter shock, and the last man she ever expected to see there calmly met her eyes. In their silver depths, she could see contained emotion that nevertheless made her swallow.

"I don't know who the hell you are," Grand Fisher interrupted their abrupt reunion. "But you pranced into the wrong place by yourself, pretty boy."

Byakuya directed one of his hardest looks at the man, and Rukia was struck by a mixture of fear for her brother and admiration at his ability to look intimidating regardless of circumstance. "By myself? I do not recall ever saying that I came here alone."

As if on cue, the door behind him as well as the one that led to the kitchen burst open with one -no, two; no, _three_ men clad in police uniform _each_.

"Freeze." Said another man, who entered through the kitchen's door after the other officers had stormed inside like a whirlwind and each taken up a place behind Mr. Aizen's allies, guns pressing against their backs and leaving them no room to escape; all while Rukia still tried to catch on to what was happening with little success.

"Chad!" Ichigo was the one to exclaim this time as he saw the last man to arrive. He was a towering male with skin just a little darker than that of Grand Fisher and a mop of dark brown hair that fell over one eye; he wasn't dressed in the blue police uniform, but in one hand he held up a badge clearly displaying his position. With his other hand, he flashed Ichigo an old-fashioned thumbs-up that made Rukia look at the officer questioningly. Ichigo, presumably used to such a gesture from the man, seemed unperturbed. "How did you know-?" As if answering his own question, the only mildly shocked orange-haired man turned back to look at Byakuya.

The regal man shook his head. "The authorities had already been alerted by the time I called."

"Then who-?" Ichigo, at last, had the decency to look as confused as Rukia felt.

The man called Chad was the one to answer. "The call came from… An old friend."

Ichigo's frown only deepened at this, but Chad did not look like he was about to expand on his explanation anytime soon.

A thousand questions stormed through Rukia's mind at the apparently mysterious call to the police department, at her brother's involvement, at the fact that Ichigo barely registered any surprise on his face at the sight of Byakuya, and… "Wait!" Her thoughts came to a screeching halt as she remembered the one most important thing. "Aizen! He snuck out through the kitchen, he's-"

"Already apprehended." Byakuya broke in coolly.

"Wh- By who?" Ichigo asked now, looking around the area as if expecting the one responsible to make a surprise entrance like Byakuya and Chad.

Chad only smiled. "You'll see."

-x-

Chad had always been a cryptic guy. Whether it was accidental or intended, Ichigo couldn't tell for sure, but his long-time friend just had a knack for leaving people in suspense. So he knew that prodding the man for a concrete answer would be as useful as trying to get the answer from a wall.

For that reason, Ichigo bit back his curiosity long enough for the policemen to clear out with their new convicts, and once things had settled he -leaning a bit on Rukia for support, despite his initial protests that he was perfectly _fine-_ followed Chad and Byakuya out to the street in front of the Hogyoku and into the light rain that had begun to fall. They were greeted by the

red and blue lights of multiple police cars stationed outside, as well as a couple of ambulances that seemed to be there as insurance. He quickly scanned the street, mostly empty of curious by passers thanks to the time and the cold drizzle, and saw the roughly half dozen Arrancar members that had been present for the night be loaded in threes into the backs of the police cars by bored looking officers who halfheartedly recited their rights to them.

Off to the right, he could see two well-built men loading up Grand Fisher into a single car, their expressions a bit shaky even when the large man was handcuffed and theoretically harmless. The man's dark beady eyes caught Ichigo's in a flash as he was lowered into the backseat. His thick lips etched upwards with sickening slowness, and his unnerving grin was the last thing Ichigo saw of him before he disappeared within the vehicle.

The man who had killed his mother. He'd had him so close; a chance like that one would probably never present itself again. Was he really doing the right thing just standing by?

Almost as if sensing the darkening trail of his thoughts, probably by his newly tensed frame, Rukia nudged his side gently and he brought his gaze down to hers. There was an almost imperceptible shake of her head, but it was enough for him to understand. He exhaled, releasing some of that tension, albeit reluctantly, and starting to pull the woman at his side closer before he was halted by the feeling of someone's eyes on him. Looking over Rukia, he met the gray eyes of the elder Kuchiki standing some few yards away with a black umbrella in hand already, looking from him to his sister.

With a sigh, Ichigo pushed Rukia gently away, holding her at arm's length and motioning behind her towards her brother. She caught on quick, and started to step back before giving him a look that he had learned to recognize as worry for him. Shaking his head, he said for the umpteenth time, "I'm fine, Rukia."

He gave her a smirk, and though she didn't look completely satisfied, she eventually nodded and walked off to meet with her brother. His smirk softened as he watched the siblings interact; though he couldn't hear their conversation, it was enough to look at their eyes to feel the warmth between them for once.

"My boy, it looks like you made it in one piece!"

Abruptly startled out of his thoughts, Ichigo whirled around -flinching a bit at the lingering pain from the bullet that, despite not actually piercing him, would still be leaving quite the bruise, he guessed- and faced yet another shock for a day of never-ending surprises.

Leaning against one of the police cars to their left, with one foot propped against the side door and his arms folded casually over his chest, none other than Isshin Kurosaki was staring back at him with a grin.

"_Dad?" _Ichigo's voice echoed with disbelief, and he felt like he was in a daze as the older man pushed himself off his comfortable position and moved towards him with uncharacteristic tranquility.

"The one and only." He replied, before- "Bet you're pretty shocked and amazed to see me here!"

He almost rolled his eyes at the return of his demeanor. While he'd never actually verbalize it, it nevertheless brought a sense of comfort to him. But as he rolled his eyes, he thought he caught sight of a certain silhouette shadowed behind the glass windows of the car that his dad had been resting against, and realization struck him like a kick.

"You!" He looked at his father with nearly bulging eyes. "_You _caught Aizen?"

The jovial manner slipped off his father's features and a rare, somber look replaced it. "Got here as soon as I got Kisuke's call."

"Urahara?" Ichigo blinked in surprise, before recalling Chad's words. _'An old friend', _he'd said. "It was him." He marveled, shaking his head. The old restaurant owner must have realized something was amiss after getting his call asking for Rukia's whereabouts.

Even so…

"I know you've got a lot of questions, son." His dad said before he could. "I'll answer them as best as I can eventually, but right now…" He glanced off to where Chad stood next to a serious looking white-haired man that looked barely past middle-aged. Ichigo recognized him as the chief of police, Ryuuken Ishida; Uryuu's dad. The bespectacled man was currently looking at his own dad, blue eyes glinting sharply behind the lenses expectantly. "I think my old partner wants to discuss a few things."

Ichigo stared blankly. "Partner…?"

Isshin shoved his hands into his pockets and avoided Ichigo's eyes almost bashfully. "Back in my days in uniform. Way before _you_ were born." Upon seeing his expression, the dark-haired man huffed and his eyebrows knitted closer in an eerily familiar fashion. "Damn, I could use a smoke right about now."

"Hang on," Ichigo shook himself out of his stupor. "You're saying…"

"Later." His father spoke mildly as he patted a heavy hand against his scrawnier shoulder, but the look in his dark eyes was stern. Ichigo finally complied, and watched his father walk away with rising confusion, but swallowing back his protests for the time being.

There was little he understood about the way things had turned out; but even so, he thought as he looked to the car where he could imagine Aizen looking darkly back at him, then over to the one where he could still picture Grand Fisher smiling, it had worked out in the end.

Then why did he still feel that old heaviness in his chest?

"Ichigo."

He turned to see Rukia had reappeared at his side, looking smaller than he remembered wrapped up in the expensive suit jacket that Byakuya had worn, and staring at him with deep purple eyes, almost blue in the night.

Right then he remembered that he wasn't the only one with questions after that evening.

"Aren't you going to ask?," he spoke thickly, having to gulp to clear his throat from closing up as he saw her face change with his question. "What Aizen told you about me, about my time in the Police Academy…" The words seemed to get lodged in his throat, and he swallowed once more before averting his eyes from Rukia's penetrating violets as he took in a deep breath. "I don't know how much he said but, there _are_ some things… I should have told you before. I-"

"Stop." Rukia's voice, together with the hand she placed on his arm, was firm, but still gentle. When he looked back to her eyes, they held a kind expression beneath her strong façade. "I won't ask. If you haven't told me, you have your reasons, and it must be a wound that hasn't closed yet. I have no way of asking without rubbing salt into that wound." She granted him a small, but sincere smile. "So I'll wait until you're ready to tell me, if you want to tell me. You have nothing to prove to me, Ichigo."

He wasn't sure if it was her words, or her understanding smile, or the unshakeable trust reflected in her eyes… But he felt his heart lifting as he looked at her.

And pulling from that security that he felt from her, he said, "I _am_ ready." He took a deep breath before starting to speak the words he had never felt comfortable enough to ever say before. "I was almost ready to graduate from the Academy, back then. My partner and I had been out on field training. Her name was Senna."

Rukia listened intently, not interrupting him or looking away, but keeping her reassuring hand on his arm the entire time. The words spilled from his lips like a long-awaited confession.

"While we were out, the officers with us got a call about a store hold-up nearby, saying that some kids were being held hostage." He recalled the day in a mixture of images of vague quality and selective instances of sharp clarity. "We were told to stay put. I didn't listen. Senna followed me." His heart pounded harder in his chest as his body seemed to recall those moments of rushing adrenaline and recklessness. "Things went wrong and, she… She tried to protect me, I think. She was hurt, badly."

He had to close his eyes to fight the torrent of guilt that would always come when he lingered on the day that led to him dropping out of the Academy, and when he opened them he found himself looking into Rukia's eyes. He saw no accusation there, no anger or disgust. Not even pity. There was only… comprehension.

He sighed as he recounted the rest. "She survived, but she was never the same again." At Rukia's questioning look, he added in a self-explanatory manner, "Amnesia."

"Did you ever speak to her again?" Rukia asked, genuine curiosity lacing her voice.

He nodded. "She didn't know me, of course. But she said she forgave me." His eyes became unfocused at the oddly distant memory.

Rukia's brow was creased, and she looked puzzled. Before he could ask why, she spoke in a tone that was merely stating a fact. "But you still haven't forgiven yourself."

Ichigo stood up a little straighter at that, ready to deny it on sheer reflex before the true insight of her declaration rendered him speechless. That lingering heaviness in chest… Thoughts of Senna, of Chad on a hospital bed, of his mother… He had always thought that bringing Aizen and Grand Fisher to justice would bring him the peace he sought. But here he was, and after obtaining what he had thought he'd always wanted, he was still plagued by the same demons.

While he was deep in thought, Rukia took the moment to fist one hand into the increasingly moist fabric of his ruined shirt and pull herself up to surprise him with the light press of her lips against his own in a cool, wet kiss that somehow still managed to be deeply warm.

"I think my brother is calling for me." Rukia announced suddenly after pulling back too quickly; her subtlety was quite lacking as she started to move around him, but not before giving his arm a quick squeeze and flashing him another smile. "I'll see you, Ichigo." Then she left him by himself, and he knew what she was telling him. They both understood what he needed to do.

So it was with that conversation in mind and the fresh memory of her kiss that he found himself walking up to the car where Aizen was holed up and opening the door to sit next to the handcuffed man. He looked at Ichigo with an expression that could have been thought to be blank, but he saw the flash of anger in those light brown eyes before the man had a chance to look away and cover it.

"Come to gloat, Ichigo Kurosaki?" Aizen spoke whilst looking ahead, gaze piercing through the glass that separated them from the unoccupied front seat. "I suppose you believe you have won now, but you forget-"

"Save it, Aizen." Ichigo interrupted calmly, all the explosiveness that usually overtook him when in the older man's presence mysteriously absent. "I didn't come here for anything like that. I've just been thinking." He hesitated only a moment, before deciding to cut to the chase and throw away his inhibitions. "It's been over ten years since what happened to my mom…" He could feel the man's eyes on him, but he did not bother to look and gauge his expression as he let the words form on his lips as if he were only speaking to himself; a conversation that was long overdue. "Whether it was your fault, or Grand Fisher's, or mine…" He paused, then added, "Or my dad's. I don't know. Even if I did, it wouldn't bring her back. All I know is, she wouldn't want me to go around carrying a grudge against anyone. That's not the kind of person she was. It took me all this time to figure it out but, I think the best I can do is try to do what she'd wanted. To do what _she_ would have done, if only to honor her memory."

Aizen was silent, but his attention was fully on Ichigo as the younger one of them closed his eyes and inhaled slowly.

"What I'm getting at is, that is, what she would have said…" Opening his eyes, he looked at the man whom he had hated for so long, and for the first time, he felt nothing towards the man, save for pity. His next words, to his own surprise, were unfailingly honest.

"Aizen… I forgive you."

-x-

When Ichigo stepped out into the night after that, he was greeted by a soft smile and glinting violet eyes. After a moment, he realized that the rain had stopped falling.

* * *

**A/N: Surprise! Early update :D This chapter was actually originally part of the last chapter, I only split them into two, hence why such a fast update. Still counts though, right? Ah, well. One more chapter to go. My feelings...**

_**MushroomNatsu, OnepieceX3, Poisonfish, Cisusi, KurosakiCrystal18, pamianime, novicestar, SuperRukia, SamanthaEscalante, anon, shnizlefritz, indescribable music, Shaybo27, KitElizaKing, chineschopsticks, Mokimoki-chan, **_**and**_** acingLoveEmbracingMelody:  
**_**thank you all for the reviews! And thanks to Cisusi for pointing out my mistake last chapter; I mixed up Loly and Menoly. So, I apologize greatly for that! (Damn it I knew I always confuse them! I can't be the only one!)  
**

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Look forward to the next, and final chapter of SoaG, coming soon!  
**


	23. Beginning's End

Ichigo marveled at how quickly time passed.

He looked around at the nostalgically familiar room- _was it always this small?; _stared at the twin-sized bed lined up against the far wall, under the large window; the desk that he remembered being cluttered with course books and notes while he studied the night away under the light of the curved lamp; the shelves in the corner still holding some of his old Al Pacino movies… Ten years ago he had been a teenager living in that very room, and the prospect of his future had been nothing but a hazy blur.

Yet there he stood now, a little taller and lacking the wristbands and printed t-shirts, but otherwise not looking all too different now that he had successfully passed into adulthood. With his hands still shoved into the pockets of his dress pants, he closed his eyes and the image of his childhood bedroom remained as an imprint on his eyelids. Maybe it didn't show, but after a decade it was hard for him to see in himself that outwardly rebellious high school boy.

In that moment, Ichigo fancied himself remarkably weird. Most people would be feeling sad at the realization of having their youthful school days behind them, but he could find no longing for the past anywhere in his heart. In fact, he was perfectly content with right now, for the first time in what felt like a _very_ long time.

"Smiling to yourself as you remember your dirty teen years, eh?"

His moment of introspection was effectively finalized by the sound of that unmistakable voice. Ichigo let out a sigh that was halfway to a groan and the inadverted quirk of his lips fell to a familiar frown. "That sounds more like you than me, Old man."

His dad actually looked pensive for a second before a lecherous grin etched his face. "You're right, you were always too much of a prude."

"Most parents would be happy…" He grumbled with only mild annoyance, mostly resigned already to the unorthodox ways of his own progenitor. "What'd you come up here for anyway?" He turned at last to face the older man, who still stood by the doorway. It was hard to believe that he would willingly part with his beloved daughters for the sake of his "delinquent son" without a reason.

The dark-haired man sighed and closed the door behind him, shoulders slumping forward and his face reflecting that rare display of somberness that occasionally betrayed his parenthood. Ichigo straightened up when he perceived the serious aura, curiosity tickling at him while he wondered what could be on his dad's mind to merit such behavior on _that_ day. He would have expected the man to spend all day skipping in delight with an idiotic grin on his face while he sang of joy.

Then again, the man might have scratched that particular ceremony off his "ways to mortify Ichigo" to-do list on the day he was told of the impending date in the first place.

"Ah, I've been putting this off for too long." His dad said then, a hand coming up to scratch the back of his head and eyes closing. "There's really no avoiding it anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo looked at his dad oddly.

"I'm sorry I didn't talk to you about this a long time ago, son." He went on barely taking a pause, as if reciting a previously rehearsed speech. "You deserved to know all the circumstances behind your mother's death, but I thought you were too young to understand back then. Every year I kept telling myself I'd tell you when you were older, when you were mature enough… I guess I was just a coward."

Ichigo's expression tightened.

His father bringing up his mom's death was off-putting in itself, but making such an honest admission was entirely disconcerting for him, who was unused to this side of the man who had raised him and his sisters with hardly more than extravagant displays of goofiness and perennial insanity. He wouldn't even meet his eyes as he spoke.

"You know by now, I was a police officer once."

Ichigo nodded. _Not just you, _he thought. _Urahara too. _

He'd found out quite a few things during his involvement in the arduous process of the trial for Aizen as the leader of the Arrancars. It was funny, in an ironic sort of way, how after so long spent chasing after that man, in the end, it was his testimony of one single evening that proved most useful in getting him locked up at last. It hadn't been easy, because even after all the evidence and testimonies gathered from that event, Aizen still held a strong influence and nearly impossible to track footprints. He would have gotten off on a bail that would be like pocket money to him, or served a short sentence at most, if not for the final and condemning testimony given by Ulquiorra Cifer. With that, Aizen was all but stripped bare for the Court by, whom Ichigo later learned had been, one of his most trusted subordinates.

Ichigo had half expected Gin Ichimaru to bring useful cooperation for the case as well, but the fox-faced man had disappeared without a trace after their trip to Kawasaki. No one had seen or heard from him since.

"I only served for a few years." His father continued talking, breaking Ichigo out of his musings on the relatively recent happenings. "Until I met Masaki." There was the ghost of a smile that passed fleetingly across his rugged features, like the reflection of a quick memory triggered by his own words. "I left so we could raise a family."

Ichigo didn't miss the hint of bitterness when he said that. "I know. Urahara told be about that. He said he left a few years later."

His dad turned to him at that, looking annoyed. "That old bigmouth. Never knew when to keep his trap shut." He complained gruffly.

Ichigo shrugged. The truth was, if Urahara wasn't there to straighten some things out, he probably would have gone crazy with all the wild theories people came up with about the supposedly legendary Isshin Kurosaki back at the Police Department. Now that Ichigo had gone back to finish at the Academy and join the forces for good, he was subjected to all the gossip that had been festering for some time, but that resurfaced with renewed vigor once the younger Kurosaki appeared in their ranks. Ikkaku and Iba especially, just wouldn't shut up about all the improbable feats that Isshin was said to have accomplished during his short time as an officer. And to his utter dismay, Kenpachi was all too eager to try and prove those rumors true by testing out the abilities of the man's son -and the KPD's most recent so-called prodigy-.

"No use getting mad about it now." His dad huffed, clearly still irritated. "I'll sort things out with him later." The threat in that statement was evident to Ichigo, who couldn't help being somewhat amused at the thought of having someone _else_ annoy his dad for a change. "Anyway…"

The momentary lightness faded and the heavy atmosphere returned with his father's furrowing eyebrows and downcast eyes.

"While I was working, I got a trail on the Arrancars." He started to explain. "I followed it for some time, but I kept hitting dead ends."

Ichigo found himself nodding along with that; he could understand only too well.

"Eventually I dropped it . I had plenty of other things to occupy my time, and the could-be case was out of my head pretty soon. But sometime after I left, I stumbled onto something." His voice became lower, and there was an excess raspy quality to it, more noticeable than usual. "There was no reason for me to go after it, it could well have been nothing at all; and it wasn't even my job anymore." He paused, almost as if readying himself for the next inevitable part that the story he must have replayed a million times would lead to. "But I didn't let it go."

With that sentence, it was as if an invisible weight settled onto the man. His father, for all his vitality, was pushing sixty-years-old. The years, however, had never been so evident as they were to Ichigo in that moment; it was almost as if the last few decades had chosen that instant to fall on him. The shadows under his eyes darkened considerably as he took an intake of breath and prepared to go on with the story. "I-"

"It's fine." Ichigo interrupted without warning. He didn't meet his old man's eyes, and kept his hands in his pockets as he stared off through the window at the clear sky outside, speaking in a callous tone. "You don't have to finish telling me. It's your problem, and if you didn't say anything all this time, you had your reasons. I can't ask you to tell me without trampling your feelings." He paused, the words surfacing to the forefront of his mind almost as if he were hearing them told to him once more. "So I can wait. When you feel like talking about it, I'll listen. You don't have to say anything until then."

Ichigo could feel his father's eyes on him, but he pointedly resisted looking back at him and fixed his face into a scowl while he looked into the distance.

"You've learned to talk pretty well." The older man spoke up after a stretched minute of silence. His voice sounded considerably lighter. "Perhaps I did a good job on you after all."

He couldn't help but roll his eyes at that. "It's all borrowed. Someone told me something like that, and it made me feel a lot better. That's all."

His dad didn't answer immediately, and he could still feel the weight of his stare, but he kept to his studied avoidance. Only when his dad let out a short cackle did he finally turn back to him.

"What?" He demanded sharply.

His dad shook his head, then mirrored his pose with his hands in the pockets of his equally dark trousers. "Nothing. Just thinking that she would be proud after all."

By 'she', Ichigo didn't need to ask to know that he had meant his mother. He felt the scowl soften on his face.

The two men shared a moment of rare, companionable silence, before the older one clapped his son on the shoulder and an easy grin made its way back into his features. "I think I've held you up long enough."

"Actually-"

"What are you still doing here?" Like a flipped switch, the man's usual demeanor returned along with a boisterous voice and exaggerated outrage. "Get out of here! My idiot son, going to be late to his own wedding! Oh, how I've failed as a father!" He cried out to the heavens.

"Shut up, goat chin!" Ichigo knocked his fist into the man's face without any reservations, sliding back into the comfort of their dynamic with ease.

Caught off guard, his dad tumbled down to the floor in a heap. Ichigo pulled on the cuffs of his black suit to fix them in place, then readjusted the bowtie around his neck and casually ignored the muffled wailing beneath him. He stepped over the crumpled man impishly and exited the room with a shake of his head.

_Some things never change._

Out in the hallway of his childhood home, the prickling sensation of being watched made him pause before reaching the staircase that lead downstairs. He stopped in front of the room that had belonged to the twins, noticing the slightly ajar door when…

"_Ack!" _

-x-

Rukia stifled a laugh at Ichigo's surprised squeal the moment she pulled him into the room.

Taking care to shut the door behind them, she turned to look at the ruffled up groom standing in between the two beds that dominated the room even then, pushed up against the walls to allow more space as they were. After having spent the night there sharing a bed with the youngest Kurosaki sibling -sweet and thoughtful Yuzu-, the majority of the morning had been spent locked up in the cramped quarters while she attempted to make herself presentable; with the help, of course, of the twins as well as her other two bridesmaids -Rangiku and a very pregnant Orihime-.

Things had been hectic, as they would inevitably be with five women only a few hours prior to a wedding, especially when one of those women was carrying a few extra dosis of hormones. Rukia had found herself questioning more than once the decision to have a traditional wedding instead of simply having run off and gotten married in some off-the-road chapel. Only the thought of Byakuya's reaction at the prospect of his sister eloping reassured her of her choice and she managed to bear the pre-ceremony preparations.

"H-hey! What the hell!" Ichigo blurted out, having just managed to gather his bearings. He pointed at her accusingly, eyes wide. "The groom isn't supposed to see the bride before the wedding! Don't you know anything?"

She rolled her eyes at the unexpected, yet somehow inherently typical reaction. "My, Ichigo, I didn't know you were so superstitious. I thought you didn't believe in that kind of stuff."

"I-I don't!" The lightest shade of pink dusted his defined cheeks.

"So you're just an old-fashioned romanticist, then." She goaded, smirking with satisfaction as she saw him sputter in denial.

While he was too busy raking himself for words, Rukia had the chance to really get a good look at the man. Even awkward and bashful as he was at the moment, there was no overlooking how dashing he truly looked in his well-fitted tuxedo. The light that poured in through the windows served to emphasize the light golden tint of his skin, complementing the hazel of his eyes and his tangerine hair in a canvas of warm colors that reminded her of summer. When his embarrassment passed and he stood a little straighter, she could feel the quiet strength that he always seemed to radiate even in his relaxed posture.

Rukia didn't say anything while immersed in her appraisal, and during that time, Ichigo's eyes seemed to properly focus on her for the first time as well. They regarded her slowly from her small, still-bare feet, up the length of her creamy calves -visible through the slit of her dress-, then upwards studying the way the thin white material flared out or hugged her subtle curves in all the right places; his mouth fell ever so slightly ajar. She didn't miss the way his eyes lingered for a second too long over the areas where her skin was unusually, but tastefully exposed by the strapless gown.

"Whoa." Ichigo exhaled, like he had just remembered to breathe again. He swallowed as he took a step closer and reached out to touch the smooth line of her neck, almost shyly so. "Nice…dress."

There was something about his hesitation, about the way that he seemed to be holding himself back that contrasted with the intensity of his eyes as he drank her in, that raised her self-consciousness on more than a few levels. She averted her eyes from his and ran her fingers through the wispy ends of her now chin-length hair; short as it was, the girls had refrained from any complicated styling and decorated it only with a delicate pin in the shape of a flower. Her awareness levels were rising fast and the smell of Ichigo's cologne mixed with his own scent only made his proximity that much more evident.

"I thought you didn't want to see me." She joked weakly, her voice coming out much too husky to pass for comical as she barely suppressed goose bumps at the feeling of calloused but gentle fingers warm against sensitive skin.

"Too late." Ichigo barely mumbled out the words before using his free hand to tilt her chin up and capture her lips.

His kiss was more forceful than she had expected, and she found herself taking a few steps back until her back was pressed against the door. Ichigo was unrelenting in his approach and essentially cornered her; her hands on his chest were the only things keeping him from crushing his entire form against her as his mouth worked fervently on hers.

Had Rukia allowed herself, she would have happily relented into his passionate attack; but as she felt their bodies molding closer and closer together, and Ichigo's desire became ever more obvious against her, she was strongly reminded that there was still a wedding to be had and four furious bridesmaids to deal with if their hours of hard work ended up tossed in a corner while the bride enjoyed an early honeymoon. So it was with great force of will, and not without a couple of failed attempts, that she managed to extricate herself from Ichigo.

It was moments like those that made her grateful she and Ichigo were no longer co-workers. True, she missed having him next-door to her cubicle all the time, but it had been increasingly difficult to remember they weren't the only ones in the building sometimes. And even with Mr. Ukitake back as chief editor and everyone being on a considerably looser leash at Seretei, relationships at work were still strictly frowned upon.

That, and if Mr. Hitsugaya had walked in on them one more time, she was sure _someone_ would have ended up in a hospital bed.

"What gives?" Ichigo didn't bother to mask his frustration as he looked down at her after being pushed away, his heated gaze now a mixture of want and annoyance.

"I didn't pull you in here so we could do _that." _She placed her hands firmly on her hips and put on a trained expression of haughtiness that disguised her mirrored feelings. Eloping was really sounding like the better option right about then.

"Then what _for?" _

"Actually, I wanted to talk to you." she said.

He started at that. A flicker of something eerily like _fear_ flashed through Ichigo's eyes. "Getting cold feet or something?" He asked in a forcibly casual tone, and Rukia could only smile affectionately at his poor attempt.

Then she proceeded to knock her fist into his midsection. Because he was an idiot for having even an instance of worry.

"Fool." she added for good measure. She didn't give him a chance to retort or do anything other than wheeze and glare before shaking her head and going on. "I was just thinking. After everything that's happened in the past couple of years, we still somehow made it here. It's… strange. That we'd be so lucky."

She half expected him to make a snide remark, but Ichigo only nodded. "I thought something like that too. I almost can't believe how well things worked out." He looked genuinely thoughtful, stepping back after a moment to flop down on one of the beds- Karin's. "But then I thought, it's not weird at all."

Rukia raised a curious eyebrow, glad though she was that she wasn't the only one having thoughts of such nature. Without needing an invitation, she went over to sit next to Ichigo. As soon as she was beside him, he wordlessly took her hand in his and began to toy idly with their fingers.

"What do you mean by that?" she finally asked, glancing up at him. He didn't face her, and from that angle she could appreciate the outline of his jaw line, and the definition of his masculine features, softened somewhat in the lighting.

"I just realized something..." He said. "Things just seem to fall into place when you're around." As if to accentuate his point, he laced his fingers between hers as he said that, and held up their perfectly intertwined hands for her to see.

Her heart swelled in her chest. "Idiot." she muttered, but the word lacked even the slightest scorn.

"Rukia…" He looked into her eyes then, and it was as if a thousand words passed between them in a single glance.

She opened her mouth as if to say something, but found herself instead inching closer to Ichigo. She leaned into him as he lowered himself to meet her halfway, her eyelids drooping as he finished closing the distance between them.

Just as his soft lips grazed hers, his breath tickling her, the sound of a door being kicked open made them both jump about a mile in the air.

"There you- _Oi_!" The perpetrator screeched. "What the hell are _you _doing here?" The man gawked at Ichigo.

"What the hell are YOU doing here?" Ichigo shot back reflexively, the pink tips of his ears and his broken voice killing any chance of playing the moment off.

"I'm supposed to be here! You, on the other hand…"

His level of frustration increasing beyond his patience, Rukia guessed, Ichigo got to his feet and was in the other man's face in a split second. "This _my _house, you idiot!" He grabbed the new arrival by the shirt and the two bumped their foreheads together and gritted their teeth like animals in a documentary. "You should be the one to get your pineapple head off the premises!"

"I'm here to escort the _bride! _You can't kick me out!"

"Sure I can! Scram!"

"This isn't even your house, it's your old man's!"

"Like it matters!"

"Of course it does!"

Involved as they were in their testosterone match, neither bright-haired fool took notice of the two Kuchikis standing behind each of them respectively, both wearing nearly identical masks of barely contained exasperation. Rukia was the first to try and break into the match.

"Ichigo," she spoke in a low, warning tone.

The yelling continued uninterrupted.

"Renji."

Byakuya's deceptively cool, even voice froze the other two males on the spot. Rukia could feel her eyes widen in mesmerized wonder at the display.

_Brother really is amazing!_

"He started it!" Ichigo and Renji erupted simultaneously after breaking under the prolonged silence that followed Byakuya's voice.

The business man opened his eyes and steel gray flashed. Ichigo and Renji promptly shrunk back into a corner and presumably withheld tears and other leaking fluids from escaping.

Rukia beamed at her brother. "It's good to see you, Brother. I'm sorry I wasn't prepared on time."

"It's no matter, Rukia." He replied simply, then she thought she caught a subtle softening of his usually marble features as he looked at her. "You look beautiful." He stated, without a hint of emotion behind his voice, but sincerity reflected clearly in the depths of his eyes.

She felt her face flush and she inclined her head, thanking him profusely. She felt a large hand settle on her shoulder a moment later and turned to see Renji grinning down at her.

"Ready to go yet?" he asked. "Though I guess there's really no point in taking separate cars there anymore, since you two obviously couldn't wait to-"

A pointed cough from Byakuya cut that statement off before anything they would regret could be said.

"Err, right. So…" Renji struggled against his obvious mortification, clearing his throat and looking around for some sort of escape. "I think I'll go tell the driver to start the limo. You guys don't need me here."

"Damn right we don't." Ichigo went for the obvious jab.

"Watch it, dandelion head!" Renji snapped back. "The only reason I'm not giving you a black eye is because I don't want to ruin Rukia's wedding pictures."

"Gee, Renji. I didn't know you were so thoughtful."

"Cocky bastard."

Rukia rolled her eyes, biting back her laughter. For all their insults and threats, Ichigo and Renji would each take a bullet for the other without question. The initial rivalry of their first meetings had evolved with surprising speed into an inseparable friendship. It was to the point that she hadn't even been the one to suggest that Renji be a groomsman today, yet the choice had gone without question.

Byakuya didn't seem to find their unlikely friendship so enjoyable, if the twitching of his eyebrow at that moment was any sign. When Renji finally disappeared down the stairs, the black-haired man released a sharp sigh.

"It is time to go, Rukia." Said the man, looking down at her expectantly.

Rukia hesitated, shooting a darting glance at Ichigo that didn't go unnoticed.

In unspoken understanding, Byakuya said to her, "I will wait downstairs." Instead of heading straight down though, he took a step closer to Ichigo, to her surprise.

Ichigo uncharacteristically said nothing, and Rukia got the impression that she was witnessing a duel, waiting to see which opponent would draw first.

"Kurosaki," Byakuya spoke at last, standing imposingly and looking down his nose at Ichigo. There was a long pause, before, "Congratulations."

She nearly gaped, and she thought she saw Ichigo's eyes widen but otherwise, he appeared not to be too shocked.

"Thanks." He replied, then extended his hand towards her brother in a silent offering.

Byakuya looked down at the outstretched hand then at Ichigo's face, as if gauging the action, almost exactly the way he had back when they had first met at Seretei's Christmas party during her internship. This time, however, the man took Ichigo's hand in a firm grasp and shook it. Hazel eyes met gray ones for that moment in which their hands connected, and Rukia felt as if there were many things left unspoken in those locked gazes.

Finally, Byakuya said, "Take care of her."

Ichigo nodded, eyes bright with determination and honesty. "Yeah."

They ended all contact then, and Byakuya left without another word.

Rukia was still wrapping her mind around the scene she had just seen when she felt a hand slide around her waist and pull her into a warm body. Lightly startled, she looked up and found Ichigo's eyes already boring into her.

"Aren't you going…?" she suddenly asked, knowing that he was planning to drive in his own car with his father to the wedding.

"In a minute." He answered, his gaze unwavering. "I didn't finish telling you something."

She tilted her head inquiringly, recalling the point where there conversation had been interrupted. Her thinking process shut down though, when Ichigo offered her a rare, wide smile that was simultaneously carefree and profound.

"Wha-"

He silenced her by sealing her lips with his. His taste lingered on her mouth when he pulled back after too short a moment. He looked at her with an unaltered smile, and said, "Thank you."

Just that. But that was all Rukia needed to hear to understand.

Within the next hours, the two of them would stand at the altar and take their vows. They would make official their unbreakable bond in front of their friends and family, and they would share a name so that the world would know they belonged to each other. It was a moment that most people waited all their lives for.

None of it mattered. Vows were just fancy words, names were nothing but labels, and the legality of a couple of signatures and a man's blessing were nothing but required motions. In that instant when their eyes locked together and she felt like she had bared her soul to that one man, and that he had shown her his in return, she knew.

She was certain that right then, they had everything they truly needed. In the end, it was simple: they had each other. And whatever else they had to face, they would be alright, because they would always have their pillar of strength; a ray of light to shine in even the darkest of moments.

With that conviction and reassured feeling, she raised herself on her toes and, supporting herself with her hands on his steady shoulders, allowed Ichigo's lips to connect with hers without another word. Secured by his firm arms around her waist and intoxicated by the warmth that traveled down to her toes from his kiss, Rukia gave into the weakness at her knees and melted into him.

It was hard to tell between the passion, and the sweetness and the love that all poured into their embrace, but for a brief moment -a single instant of fleeting clarity- Rukia thought that she could feel it…

Eternity at her fingertips.

* * *

**A/N: Alright, everybody hold your tears- Oh, wait... That's just me ;_; It's weird, it was like I was running to complete this story, and now that I did, I'm a little depressed Dx  
**

**Ok, enough about my sentimental breakdown. **

_**Redsnow, Mokimoki-chan, OnepieceX3, KitElizaKing, Luna21VW, Cisusi, Poisonfish, KurosakiCrystal18, chineschopsticks, MushroomNatsu, pamianime, novicestar, SilverStella, SamanthaEscalante, **_**and**_** SilverFlameHaze-  
**_**Thank you all for your awesome reviews! And thanks to everyone who ever reviewed or favorited, or simply stuck with this story through all my slow updating until the very end!  
**

**I hope everyone enjoyed the finale of Story of a Girl, and the story as a whole! When I first started this, I really had no idea where or how far I was going to take it and it was fun to see what it turned out as. Now I must bid it farewell, and to all my readers: I hope I'll see you around!:)  
**


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